Say You Will
by CrueFan21
Summary: After the Great Thaw, Elsa is pressured to marry a suitor so there will be king of Arendelle. Reluctantly, Elsa agrees to the idea, and soon finds herself in the presence of many men. Two men in particular catch her eye: one who is calm, collected, and very sweet. The other who is strong, bold, and intelligent. Whichever choice she makes, there will be certain consequences.
1. The List

**Hello, this is my first Frozen fanfic. Hope you all enjoy!**

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Say You Will

Chapter 1: The List

Five months after the Great Thaw, and Arendelle couldn't have been better. With the gates now open, and the people free to come and go as they please, there was a certain glow of happiness that the kingdom had been lacking for far too long.

Of course, it was all thanks to the Snow Queen herself. Since discovering that love was the key to controlling her powers, Elsa had been doing everything she could to make up for the accidental winter she set off. She met frequently with the council and discussed plans on reinventing the kingdom itself as well as adding onto it. Having been reclusive for so long, it took a little while for Elsa to come out of her shell and get used to interacting with people. But with her sister Anna's help, she eventually managed to find her place in her kingdom.

The people now adored Elsa. Not only was she a strong and fair queen, but she appealed in a way one doesn't usually expect from a ruler. She strongly emphasized that although she was of royalty, and was blessed with special powers, she was still a human being just like the rest of them. There were days when Elsa would take a break from her frequent meetings, and go out and pay the townspeople a personal visit. Princess Anna would often accompany her, and the two would have hours of fun playing with the children and taking part in the annual festivities.

In addition to the time she spent with her people, Elsa also made sure she had plenty to spend with Anna. Thirteen years had definitely taken a toll on the both of them, so their relationship needed a lot of love to repair the damage done. Every day, the princess and the Queen would do various activities together such as riding their bikes, taking walks down by the pier, eating chocolate sundaes, and visiting Kristoff and Sven. Before too long, the two had reclaimed what had been held from them for so long. There were times when Anna could cry tears of joy. She never truly believed that one day she would be doing something as simple as taking a walk down by the pier with her sister.

"Oh look at that! They just put out a batch of fresh doughnuts!" Anna cried, pointing to a nearby shop where the baker had just placed the pastries. "Can we get some?" The two sisters had decided to take a walk through the town together that day.

Elsa smiled. "I suppose so," she said. The two then went inside the store and purchased a small box of doughnuts, and went to eat them together by the pier. As the two sat on the edge of the dock watching the boats sail in and out of the harbor, the two feasted on the delicious treats they had just bought.

"I love the ones filled with jelly," Anna said, popping another doughnut into her mouth.

"Yes, but you always make a mess with them," Elsa giggled. "Remember that time you ate so many that your hands and face were covered in it. Then you cleaned yourself off on the brand new dress that mama bought you?"

"Oh yeah. She's wasn't too happy about that," Anna laughed. "Especially since I had literally just put it on."

"You were always into mischief."

"So were you if you recall."

"Hey, if I was ever in trouble, it was because you got me into it, OK?" Elsa said holding her hands up in defense.

"Oh yeah, well what about that time you suggested we raid the kitchen for chocolates one evening, knowing full well that the cooks needed them to make a chocolate cake the next day."

Elsa blushed, she had actually forgotten about that one. "Yeah, and we were so sick the next day," she added. "I don't even remember how many chocolates I ate that night."

"Honestly, I didn't even bother counting," Anna said. I was too busy stuffing my face."

Elsa smiled, and wrapped her arm around her sister. "Good times," she said.

The two sat still together for a moment enjoying each other's company. The sun had just begun to set on the horizon, and the shops around them were starting to close. It would be time for bed before too long. Anna looked at Elsa as she gazed off into the sunset. Her sapphire blue eyes were sparkling in the glare.

"Something on your mind?" Anna asked.

"It's nothing," Elsa replied.

"Hey now, remember we promised we would tell each other everything from now on."

Elsa smiled. "Of course. It's just that I had a meeting with the council earlier today, and the topic of discussion was rather unpleasant."

"What was it about?" Anna asked.

"They want me to marry a suitor as soon as possible," Elsa sighed.

Anna frowned. She could see how distressing this was to her sister. Elsa had just recently reclaimed the throne, and was still getting used to running a kingdom. She had enough on her plate as it was without the council pestering her about marriage.

"So what did you tell them?"

"I told them that I wasn't currently seeking a relationship at this time. But that I would consider it in the future."

"And how did they take that?"

"Not well. They began lecturing me about how Arendelle has always been ruled by a king and a queen. Having just one ruler isn't sufficient, and besides, I need an heir who will take the throne when I'm gone."

"But you're still so young, you've got plenty of time to find the king of your dreams."

"I know, but they do have a point. Arendelle always did function well with two rulers. Look at how mama and papa ran things."

"But you're not them, Elsa. You are you. You can't compare yourself to previous rulers."

Elsa smiled. "I know. Just a force of habit I guess."

"So…let's say you were currently looking for a man to marry. Do you have any idea of where to start looking?"

"Oh they've already planned that one out," Elsa said. She pulled a piece of paper out of her dress and unfolded it for Anna to see.

"This is a list of princes from country to country. As you can see, there's a lot of them."

"Wow! I never even knew there were so many princes in the world," Anna said, looking over the list. "This is like trying to pick your favorite candy in the candy store."

Elsa laughed. "That's one way to look at it."

"But I've decided that even though the council has a valid point, I'm going to hold off on marriage for a little while longer. There's just so much more I need to learn about being queen before I take on something as sacred as marriage" she continued.

Anna smiled and hugged her sister. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. You've got all the time in the world for it. Besides, like you would have any problems finding a suitor. You're the most beautiful woman in the world."  
Elsa blushed. "I don't know about that, Anna."

"Believe me, you're the definition of beauty."

"Thank you, Anna. What do you say we head on back to the castle? It'll be dark soon."

"That sounds good."

The two sisters walked back to the castle and enjoyed a nice meal together before retiring for the evening. As she lay on her bed, Elsa couldn't help but think about the meeting she had earlier that day. "It just isn't natural for Arendelle to have just one ruler," one of the councilman had said. Elsa got out of bed and walked over to her desk where the list of suitors lay. She held it in her hand, and carefully looked it over. She then pulled a blank sheet of paper out from the desk, grabbed a quill with some ink, and began to write a letter to the first name on the list.

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**Sorry it's a little short. The next chapter will be longer I promise. This is my first "Frozen" fanfic as well so I hope it's getting off to a good start. Hope you are enjoying so far! **


	2. The Letter

Chapter 2:

The Letter

* * *

Within days, Queen Elsa had written over a dozen letters to princes across the globe. She was inviting them all to attend a dinner and ball that she was hosting as a social gathering to get to know the young princes. It didn't take long for every prince from the Northern Isles to Gladavir to RSVP to the event, and before she knew it, over twenty princes were planning on attending. Elsa made sure to inform everyone working in the castle that no one from the Southern Isles was invited. After Hans' recent attempt to seize the throne, she wanted nothing to do with the kingdom.

The ball was scheduled to take place one week from now, and there was much to be done. Since her last ball had turned into a disaster, Elsa was nervous about throwing another one at first. But Anna quickly convinced her that everything would go right this time, and that everyone was aware of her powers. It was also the best way to interact with princes from the other kingdoms.

One day, after a long meeting with the council about the upcoming ball, Elsa decided to take some time to relax by herself. Normally she wasn't keen on doing this, seeing as how she spent thirteen years in isolation, but Elsa needed time to clear her head. Preparation for the upcoming ball was driving her insane. She sat in her room drinking a cup a tea, and reading a good book. It was peaceful to have time to think. No meetings to attend, no having to order this person to that, making sure people were doing what they were supposed to be doing, this was definitely what she needed. As she turned a page in her book, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she replied, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't take too much of her time.

The door opened and Olaf walked in with a big smile on his face.

"Hi Elsa!" he said.

Elsa smiled. As much as she wanted to be alone for the time being, she couldn't be mad at the happy go lucky snowman she and her sister built long ago.

"Well, hello to you, Olaf. How are you today?"

"I'm wonderful. I just got back from town with Anna, Kristoff, and Sven. We had a blast!" I thought I'd pay you a visit since I haven't seen you all day."

"That's nice. It's good to see you."

"What are you doing?" Olaf asked walking over to where Elsa sat at her desk.

"I'm just enjoying some "me time," she said.

"What's me time?" Olaf asked.

"It's when I take a break from being the ruler of Arendelle and just kick back and relax by myself."

"Oh. But it's always better to be with friends," Olaf said with a smile.

"Of course it is, Olaf. It's just that sometimes people need time to be by themselves. You understand, right?"

"I think so. You just want some peace and quiet right?

"Exactly. Peace and quiet is what I need right now."

Olaf looked at the book Elsa held in her hands, and pointed one of his stick arms toward it.

"What are you reading?"

"It's called "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens."

"How is it?"

"It's pretty good actually. A bit sad, but still good nonetheless."

"That's good. Hey, do you want to go with Anna and me to plant some flowers in the garden! It'll be a lot of fun!"

Elsa smiled. "Thank you for your offer, Olaf, but I think I'm going stay here and read for a little while longer, if that's OK."

"That's fine. You're the queen! You can do anything you want. Well, gotta go. Those flowers won't plant themselves." The happy snowman walked out of the room as quickly as he came in, leaving Elsa alone once more. "Such as cute little guy," she said to herself.

* * *

A few hours later Elsa found herself once again attending to her royal duties. She met with the party planning committee and together they discussed the kinds of food she wanted for the reception.

"From what I understand, the prince of Marion is a vegetarian so we must have plenty of things set aside for him to eat," she said.

"Of course, Your Majesty," said one of the members.

"And I think a traditional roast beef would go nicely with green bean casserole."

"What about dessert, Your Majesty?"

"I'm tempted to just ask for a big chocolate cake, but I think there should be more of a variety this time around. Have the chefs come up with some suggestions and notify me when they are ready."

She then dismissed the party planning committee and left to attend to other matters. Since she cut off trading ties with Westleton, she had been seeking a new trade partner. She had come across some worthy candidates such as the kingdom of Gladvir and the kingdom of Marion. Elsa hoped that the upcoming ball would also help her in deciding who she should open up trade with. In all honesty, she had been very wary of who to trust since the treachery of Westleton and the Southern Isles. Every time she came upon a potential candidate, she couldn't help but wonder if they would truly be a benefit to the kingdom. Anna told Elsa that sometimes rulers have to take chances, and see where they lead too. Elsa knew she was right, but she still wanted to make sure that she was doing the right thing for her people.

Later that evening, Kristoff attended dinner with the two sisters. He lived in a nice house not too far from the castle, and was well-known by everyone in the castle. Together they enjoyed a private meal together, a ritual that they frequently indulged in. Olaf and Sven were welcome to join them as well as long as they behaved themselves. They had truly become a family in the past five months, something that Elsa cherished, especially because of how happy it made Anna. As the three finished up dessert, they began to talk about their day. It was always fun to hear what each other had to say, and to see who had the most interesting day.

"I tell you, I had the rudest customer in my entire history of ice delivering today," Kristoff said, finishing off a glass of wine.

"What happened?" Anna asked.

"Well, this guy ordered a dozen blocks of ice, and when I got to his house and told him that it was worth ten copper coins, he told me he only had a five and insisted on me giving it to him anyway. I told him sorry, but the price is ten copper coins. He then gave me a hard time about that; saying that ten copper coins was a rip-off for a dozen blocks of ice, and I told him, "Hey that's the price, take it or leave it." He then slammed the door in my face. Needless to say, I didn't get paid for that shipment."

Anna laughed. "Now who does that sound like?"

"What do you mean?" Kristoff asked.

"Don't you remember at Oaken's Trading Post where you wanted to buy all that equipment for ten coins, but he wouldn't sell them to you. You gave him such a hard time about that!"

Kristoff held his hands up in defense. "Hey, that was a rip-off, OK? There is no reason on earth for a rope, an ax, and carrots to cost that much!"

"I'm just saying you acted exactly like that customer yourself once," Anna said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I did. But I had a good reason too. This guy didn't."

"Whatever you say," Anna said.

Elsa laughed. She really liked Kristoff. He was sweet and funny. More importantly he made Anna happy, and that alone was worth more than she ask.

"Well, don't sweat it, Kristoff. You still have plenty more deliveries ahead of you tomorrow," Elsa said. "Hopefully everyone will have enough money to pay this time."

Kristoff laughed. "I hope so. I do not want to go through that again."

Just then the door to the parlor swung open, and Kai walked in holding a letter in his hand.

"Your Majesty, I am sorry to interrupt, but this letter just came in from the kingdom of Urvea."

Elsa took the letter from his hand opened it up. "It's asking for permission to attend the ball next week." I didn't send them an invitation. More importantly, I've never even heard of Urvea."

She continued reading the letter, and in it she learned a little about its sender.

_Dear Queen Elsa,_

_I do apologize for my lateness, my brother and I have been very busy attending other matters. We have heard word of your throwing a ball next week, and would be honored to have your permission for us to attend. We understand that you are doing this in order to get to know various suitors. I realize that it is way past the RSVP date, but we do sincerely ask that you grant us an invitation to your party. I also understand that you are in need of a new trading partner. Sometime during the ball next week, if you like we could possibly discuss doing business with Arendelle. We have heard so much about you; especially your power to create ice and snow. Another reason why I think we should meet is because I have something I want to personally show you. You may believe that you are the only person capable of powers such as these, but I assure you that you are not alone. Since I was young, I have had the ability to create and control fire. For years I too thought that I was alone, but when I heard of your powers, and how you learned to control them, I knew I had to meet you. So this will also be an opportunity for the both of us to get to understand someone who is like us, and maybe even learn more about our powers in the process. We will awaiting your answer soon._

_Best wishes,_

_Aaron and Paul Clayworth_

Elsa put the letter down; her mouth was agape, and snow started to trickle from her fingertips.

"Elsa, what's wrong?" Anna asked.

Snow started to fall from the ceiling as a wide grin appeared on Elsa's face. "This…this prince. He has powers similar to mine only he has the ability to control fire!" I'm not the only one anymore!"

The snow began to come down harder covering Kristoff, Anna, and Kai in the process. "Your Majesty?" Kai said, gesturing to the snow which now covered the floor.

"Oh my apologies" Elsa said, waving her hand to zip up all the snow.

"Really? A guy who can control fire? That's so awesome!" Anna said.

"I know. I have to meet him. I've wondered my whole life if I was the only person with magical abilities like this, and now I know!"

Elsa sprang up and ran to her bedroom, leaving a trail of ice in her wake. She quickly wrote a response to the two brothers, and handed it to Kai. "Deliver this ASAP," she said.

"Yes, Your Majesty,"

After he left, Elsa let out a loud cry of joy. "Oh I'm so excited for next week!"

"That'll be neat to see. A guy who can set things on fire," Kristoff said.

"I just hope he doesn't burn down the castle," Anna quipped.

"I'm sure he has control of his powers, Anna" Elsa said sternly.

"This is going to be so great. I can finally meet someone who understands me for who I am because they are just like me."

With that, the queen said her goodnights to her sister and Kristoff, and went to bed.

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**There will definitely be some OCs in this story as you can tell. The names of some of the kingdoms as well as the two brothers. Also, I read somewhere that "Frozen" takes place sometime in the 1840s, which is why I had Elsa reading Oliver Twist, a book that was published in 1837. Hope you all are enjoying so far!**


	3. The Ball

Chapter 3:

The Ball

* * *

The day of the ball arrived quicker than anyone in Arendelle could have imagined. Queen Elsa invited the entire kingdom to take part in the celebration. She knew that it would be a full house, but she wanted to really give her people a good time, especially since she was really looking forward to it. Since receiving the letter from Aaron and Paul Clayworth, Elsa's mind had been so focused on the two princes, that she had a hard time focusing on preparing for the main event. She couldn't wait to meet them; especially Aaron Clayworth, the man who had the power to control fire.

Elsa had so many questions for him. How long has he been able to control his powers? Were his parents ever afraid of him harming someone? Did they try to keep his powers a secret too? The more questions she thought of, the more excited Elsa became. To think that a few months ago, she was dreading her coronation ball, and now here she was bursting with energy about this one.

On the night of the ball, Elsa took her time to really make herself look nice. She wore her traditional ice gown along with a pair of icicle earrings that she created just for the occasion. On her face she applied dark purple lipstick, and purple eye shadow. She wore her hair long and tied in a loose braid, complete with her crown on top. After she was finished, she took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. "Not bad," she thought. Just then, the door to her room opened. Elsa turned around to see Anna peaking her head inside. "Hey Elsa, I was just checking to see how you were doing. The guests are starting to arrive."

"I'll be there in just a second," Elsa replied.

Anna stepped inside the room and walked towards her sister. "Wow. You look amazing!" she said.

"Why, thank you, Anna. You look beautiful yourself."

"Are you ready to meet your long list of men?" Anna asked, teasingly.

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I'm ready as I'll ever be.

"What about Aaron and Paul?"

Elsa smiled. "Those two are the ones I'm most looking forward to meeting, especially Aaron."

"Yeah, I can't wait to meet him too. Do you think he can show us some of his fire powers? Anna asked, her eyes widening with excitement.

"I suppose. As long as he does it outside of the castle."

Anna gave a small shriek, and then turned around to head back to the ballroom. "See you in a bit" she said.

After she heard the door close, Elsa took one last glance at the mirror. "Here goes nothing," she said with a smile.

* * *

The party was in full swing by the time Elsa arrived at the top of the staircase. There Anna and Kristoff were standing waiting for her along with several guards.

"Why do I have to walk in? You know I hate when people stare at me?" Kristoff said. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and his blonde hair was slicked back. He was quite handsome Elsa thought as she saw the young ice harvester.

"Because you're my boyfriend, that's why," Anna said with a smile. "Besides, you look adorable."

Kristoff smiled in return. "Thanks, Anna," he said.

Elsa took her place beside Anna and Kristoff as one of the guards blew his trumpet to signal their arrival. "People of Arrendelle, guests from far and away, I present to you Queen Elsa of Arendelle." Elsa stepped forward onto the edge of the top stairs, and began to slowly walk down. The crowd bowed as she made her way down the stairs and took her place on the throne.

"And presenting Princess Anna of Arendelle and her partner Kristoff."

Kristoff held Anna's hand as the two made their way down the stairs. The crowd continued to bow, showing their respects for the princess and her boyfriend. When Anna arrived at her seat beside Elsa, Kristoff said goodbye and went off to join the crowd. After the commotion had settled down, Elsa stood up to address the people.

"Citizens of Arendelle, friends from far and yonder, welcome. Tonight I hold this celebration as a means to get to know the many princes of our fellow kingdoms. As Queen of Arendelle, it is my royal duty to take a husband so that we may continue the legacy of our kingdom. I invite you all now to join me and my sister in the dining hall for dinner. Afterwards, we'll take to the ballroom for a late night of dancing."

Elsa had additional tables brought into the dining hall in order to fit all of the guests. When she took her place at the far end of her table, she was glad that she did. There must have been over 300 people in attendance. Hopefully, the chefs prepared enough food. Anna took a seat beside her sister, and Kristoff joined as well. As the three started to eat their meal, two men walked up to Elsa and bowed to her.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle," one of the men spoke.

"Yes," Elsa said, giving the men her full attention.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Aaron of Urvea and this is my brother Prince Paul of Urvea. Elsa's eyes lit up. These were the two men she was most anxious to meet this entire evening. She had been wondering as she came down the stairs where they might be, and what they might look like. Aaron was a tall man wearing a dark blue blazer with a white shirt underneath along with a pair of white pants and black boots. He had short blonde hair that was slicked back much like Kristoff's, and on his neck he wore a pendent which bore the Urvea family crest. He had dark blue eyes, which complimented his blazer, and had a goatee as well. His brother was a tad bit shorter and wore mostly the same outfit, except that he wore a green shirt underneath his blazer. He had short brown hair, and sea green eyes that were quite attractive. Unlike his brother, Paul was clean shaven, and had no facial hair.

"It is a honor to meet you, Queen Elsa," Paul said, bowing down once more.

"The pleasure is all mine Prince Paul, and Prince Aaron. Would you care to join us?" she said gesturing to two empty seats near her.

"We would be honored," Aaron said.

The two men took their seats, and no sooner did they begin eating, did Elsa begin questioning Aaron about his powers.

"So Prince Aaron…"

"Please, just call me Aaron," he said warmly."

"Aaron, when did you first discover you had the ability to create and control fire?"

"When I was three years old, I was playing with my rocking horse in my room one day. I was rocking back and forth so hard that my hands started to burn right through the wood. I was so lost in the moment that I didn't notice anything until the wood split in half. Then I saw the burn marks, and the smoke emerging from what remained of my beloved rocking horse."

"Interesting. What did your parents think when you showed them?" Elsa asked.

"They were terrified at first, especially when I accidently set fire my mother's curtains. They told me that I had to be extremely careful with my powers or I could hurt someone."

"I know what you mean," Elsa said sadly. She looked over at Anna who was busy stuffing her face with food. Even though they had put the past behind them, Elsa still hadn't forgiven herself for what she did to her sister.

"I kept my powers hidden for most of the time. Only when I needed them for certain things. My brother and I often went camping with our father, and I would be the one to start the fire every time. On the fourth of July, instead of fireworks I entertained my family for hours on end with my own brand of pyrotechnics."

Aaron then held up his hand and snapped his fingers. A small ball of flame instantly appeared in the center of his hand. The two sisters and Kristoff stared at it with great intensity. Even though it was small, it was very bright, and they could feel its warmth. Aaron then snapped his fingers again and the flame disappeared.

"That is awesome," Anna said.

"Really impressive, Your Highness," Kristoff said.

"Why, thank you. It took me some time, but I eventually managed to control my powers. Since then, I've used them for all sorts of ways to help benefit our kingdom."

"He really helps our blacksmith out big time," Paul said.

"Yes, I try to use my powers for the good of others. I find that compassion is the greatest quality a person can have."

Elsa smiled. She liked Prince Aaron a lot. He was confident, and spoke with the most elegant of voice. She could picture him addressing the people with Urvea, and captivating them with his wonderful use of language.

"Perhaps, after the ball you and I could have a little talent show," Aaron suggested.

"I suppose so. However, we must do it outside. No offense to you, Aaron, but I don't want to risk burning down the castle."

Aaron laughed. "Oh alright. But I assure you, Your Majesty, that I have the utmost control of my powers. I learned that long ago that confidence is the key to controlling them."

"Interesting. It took me a long time to learn how to harness my own powers. For years I was terrified of hurting people so I shut myself away so I wouldn't be able too. But it took my own sister to teach me the way of love, and all the wondrous things it can do. Through her, I learned that love will thaw, and that it is the key to controlling my own powers."

Elsa looked over at Anna and smiled. The two were both thinking of that day on the fjord months ago when Anna had sacrificed herself to save Elsa. That act of true love taught Elsa more than anything she could ever hope to learn. And for that, she was forever grateful.

"That's amusing," Aaron said. "I never imagined love would be the key to controlling something so powerful as ice and snow."

"Neither did I. I guess sometimes it's the things you never expect that are the answer."

Elsa looked over at Paul who for the most part had remained quiet throughout their conversation. She felt rude for only talking to his brother, and quickly fixed that.

"So Paul, have you and your brother always been close?"

"Sort of. We're really different as far as personalities go. He's more outgoing than I am. I'm more of the recluse," Paul said.

"I can relate to that. I'm the same way," Elsa said.

"Yes, but you do seem much more open than I am," Paul replied.

"That's something relatively new. I'm still slowly coming out of my shell. Years of isolation really took a toll on me."

"I still enjoy meeting new people though. In fact, when I heard that we were coming to Arendelle I...

"Queen Elsa, allow me to tell you more about my powers. I can tell that you're quite curious," Aaron said, interrupting his brother.

"Oh yes, please do," Elsa said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

Paul groaned. So much for having the queen's attention.

* * *

After dinner was finished, Elsa and her company went to the ballroom where she met many other princes. She met Prince Robert of Marion, Prince Michael of Ashford, Prince Nicholas of Trenton, and many, many more. The princes she interacted with that evening were all very polite, and she enjoyed speaking to each and every one of them. Many asked her to dance, but she politely declined. She had never been a dancer, and never would be either. However, one prince wasn't keen on taking no for an answer.

"Oh come now, Your Majesty, it'll be fun," Aaron said. "Listen, we don't have to dance for long just a short little waltz."

Elsa smiled. "Well alright. But just this once."

She took Aaron's hand and the two made their way to the center of the ballroom. The crowd all backed up to give the Queen and the Prince their place on the dance floor. The two moved gracefully together. Aaron was definitely an accomplished dancer. Elsa herself did a lot better than she thought she would. She followed Aaron's movements closely, all the while looking at him in the eyes.

"You're quite the natural, Your Majesty," he said.

"Why, thank you. I've honestly never done this before," Elsa said.

"Well, you certainly could have fooled me."

As the two continued to dance on, Anna, Kristoff, and Paul watched nearby, all impressed by Elsa's first time dancing.

"Wow, she's really good," Anna said.

"I'll say. They do look cute together," Kristoff replied. "Speaking of cute couples, would you like to dance Princess Anna," he said extending his hand and giving a small bow.

Anna smiled and curtsied in return. "Why yes, Mr. Bjorgman, I would love too."

She took Kristoff's hand and the two made their way to the dance floor, and began a waltz of their own. While the two couples danced, Paul looked on with a hint of envy. He hoped to one day find a girl like Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. However, all the girls he ever got close to fell madly in love with his brother. Paul hated to admit it, but his brother was handsome, and he definitely had that certain charm that he himself lacked. Not to mention his fire powers were an asset as well. Still, it would be nice to get to know Queen Elsa some more. But for the moment, it looked like she had her eyes for his hotshot brother.

When the song the musicians were playing ended, the two couples returned to where Paul was standing.

"Very nice, Your Majesty," Paul said as Elsa approached him.

"Why, thank you, Prince Paul. I appreciate that."

Before Paul could continue to speak with her, he was cut off by his brother.

"Now Queen Elsa, what do you say we go outside and give the audience another show?" he said.

"If you're referring to you and I demonstrating our powers, then yes, we may," Elsa said.

Aaron held out his arm for the Queen and the two walked outside to the courtyard, a trail of people following in their wake. When they reached the center of the courtyard Elsa turned around to face the crowd.

"Are you ready?" she called. The crowd erupted in cheers, which brought a smile to the queen's face. It always felt good seeing her people get excited over her powers.

"Here we go!" she cried.

Elsa flicked her wrist and conjured up a large block of ice. She then summoned several more blocks and started to shape them into a new design of sorts. She cut through several blocks and stacked them on top of another, and then summoned a series of icicles to protrude from the top of her ice building. A few minutes of chafing through the ice later, and Elsa had contrasted an ice model of the Arendelle castle.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, loud enough to be heard from miles away.

"Impressive!" someone cried from deep in the crowd.

"It looks just like the real thing!" a little boy said.

"Our Queen is truly an artist."

Elsa smiled and turned to look at Aaron who smiling and clapping in approval.

"Impressive indeed, Queen Elsa. Your reputation precedes you."

"Thank you," Elsa said. "I like to dabble in the arts here and there."

"I see. I myself am somewhat of an artist. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"That's why we're here, isn't it?" Elsa said, eager to see what the prince would do.

Aaron took a stance and conjured a ball of flame in his hand and threw it into the sky. The ball of fire soared higher and higher finally exploding and sending a wave of fire particles throughout the sky.

"That's so pretty," one of citizens of Arendelle said.

"That's nothing," Aaron said. He formed a long strip of flame with his hands and began to spin it around in front of the crowd. The flame resembled a long snake, its fiery tongue protruding from its mouth. After maneuvering the fire snake around for a few minutes, Aaron then slapped his hands together and the creature dissolved into black ashes.

As the crowd continued to cheer, Elsa stood back taking in what she had just seen. Aaron's powers were very impressive. The way he controlled the flames with so much confidence and precision was incredible. Not once did Elsa feel that he was endangering the lives of others as he twirled the flames around in the air. Oh if only she had learned to wield her own powers like that long ago. She and Anna wouldn't have had to grow up apart from each other. So far she was very pleased with what she had seen of Prince Aaron. He was polite, confident, and a great speaker. She looked forward to getting to know him some more.

Meanwhile, Paul stood in the back with his arms crossed. He had seen his brother's powers plenty of times; so his little show didn't impress him. He couldn't help but notice however the look on Queen Elsa's face as he controlled his fire snake like a real snake charmer. She was in awe; true, undeniable amazement. He knew that his brother had succeeded in getting her attention just as Paul thought he would. As Elsa and Aaron continued to show off their powers, Paul retreated inside the castle and sat down at one of the tables. He really liked Queen Elsa, and wanted to get to know her more. But as long as his brother was there, his chances were very thin indeed.

* * *

**Well, that was a fun chapter to write. Yes, as you can see there will be a love triangle between Elsa, Paul and Aaron. It should be quite an interesting development. Hope you are still enjoying so far!**


	4. Bonding

Chapter 4:

Bonding

* * *

After the party, a majority of the princes who had visited returned to their respective kingdoms. However, Elsa decided to invite Aaron and Paul to stay at Arendelle castle for the evening. The two princes quickly accepted her invitation. She put them in a room together on the second floor, and had several servants cater to their needs throughout the evening. Before retiring for bed, Elsa, Aaron, and Paul decided to spend the next day touring the village of Arendelle. Anna and Kristoff were also welcome to come along. Early the next morning, the five of them began their tour. Elsa led the way as Aaron and Paul walked beside her.

"Over there is the Arendelle bakery," she said, pointing to a store on her right. "They make some of the best treats I've ever eaten."

"I've never been a fan of sweets personally," Aaron said.

Elsa looked at him with shock. "What? So are you telling me you don't like chocolate?"

"Not particularly," Aaron replied with a smug grin.

"Oh Prince Aaron, we're going to have to change that."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

"What's your favorite kind of chocolate?" Paul asked, jumping into the conversation.

"Hmm. I'd have to say dark chocolate," Elsa said.

Paul's eyes lit up. "That's my favorite too!"

"Really? That's neat. I've never met someone who likes dark chocolate before."

"Neither have I. They say it's actually healthier for you than any other kind of chocolate."

"I did not know that. That's very interesting," Elsa said, giving Paul a smile.

But before Paul could continue their conversation, Aaron stole the Queen's attention.

"Look at all these beautiful flowers," he said, pointing to a florist that they were approaching. "One moment, please."

Aaron walked over to the shopkeeper and purchased two small pink peonies, and gave each sister a flower.

"For Arendelle's most beautiful women," he said with a smile.

"Oh Aaron, thank you so much! I love it" Elsa said, putting the flower in her hair.

"These are beautiful, Prince Aaron. Thank you!" Anna said, doing the same with her flower. Nearby Kristoff frowned, irritated at the prince of Urvea buying his girlfriend a flower. He had to do something.

"Hey, I'll be right back I just need to take care of something," Kristoff said. The ice harvester waved goodbye and walked down another street. Meanwhile, Paul looked on as Aaron talked to the two sisters. His brother was right; there were definitely the prettiest girls in all of Arendelle. No doubt about it. He watched as Queen Elsa and Princess Anna smiled at Aaron as he talked, telling them a story of their childhood.

"One day when Paul was five, he decided to climb the tallest tree in all of Urvea. I told him that that wasn't a good idea, and that he could seriously hurt himself. But he quickly ignored my advice, and started his climb. I left him alone for about an hour or so, and when I returned, I saw that he had made it halfway up the tree, but wasn't moving anymore. He called out to me asking for help. He said that he had gotten scared climbing up and wanted to go down, but he didn't know how. Being a good big brother, I climbed up the tree and picked him up in my arms. I told him to wrap his arms around my neck, and I slid down the trunk straight to bottom. To think, Paul could have been stuck up there all day if I hadn't come along. Isn't that right, Paul?"

Elsa and Anna were both laughing at Aaron's story, however, Paul was not.

The brown haired prince frowned as the three of them looked on laughing at Aaron's tale. "I would have eventually figured it out," he said in his defense.

"Sure you would have, Paul," Aaron said sarcastically.

Just then, Kristoff returned from his trip. In his hands he held a large red box of chocolates. "Anna, I got something for you," he said, handing the box to the princess.

"Oh Kristoff! Thank you! You didn't have to do that?" Anna said, smiling as she opened the box.

"Well, I wanted too," Kristoff said.

"You're the best," Anna said. She gave Kristoff a kiss on the lips before popping a chocolate into her mouth.

"Shouldn't you eat lunch first?" Elsa asked.

"Probably. But it's chocolate so why not?" Anna said popping more pieces into her mouth.

Elsa smiled and shook her head. "If you say so."

The group continued their walk through the town square together. Along the way, Elsa took the time to introduce the two princes to the townspeople. They instantly flocked to Aaron; his demeanor always attracted attention. Paul did his best to suppress his envy as he shook the many hands coming to greet him. He would get his chance to speak with Queen Elsa soon enough.

* * *

The group then decided that they were hungry and should get a bite to eat. Elsa recommended a diner that was very popular throughout Arendelle. The group ate a small lunch consisting of sandwiches, and then made their way back to the castle. Along the way, Aaron and Elsa continued to talk to each other. Their conversations covered many topics from trade embargos, to the history of Arendelle. All the while, Paul walked beside the two keeping silent. Queen Elsa looked like she was really enjoying her conversation with Aaron, and he didn't want to ruin that. Still, he couldn't help but want to have moment alone with her. Just as the group made it across the bridge, Elsa turned and looked at Paul who was hanging his head.

"Paul, is something wrong?" Elsa asked.

Paul quickly jerked his head up, and flashed the queen a smile. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about a book I just finished reading. It was a pretty sad story."

"What book was that?"

"Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickins.

Elsa's eyes lit up. "I'm reading that right now!" You're right, it is sad. I hope things get better for Oliver in the end."

"Well, I won't spoil it for you then," Paul said.

"Do you like to read?" Elsa asked.

"I love to read. I have ever since I was a kid."

"Me too. Anna has never been into it, but I don't know what I would do without it. When I read a novel, it's like stepping into another world for me."

"I feel the same way," Paul said. "And the feeling you get when you finish a good book is really satisfying."

"Oh yes, especially if the book is a real page turner," Elsa said. "Hey, would you like to see the Arendelle library? I'm sure there are some books there that you would be interested in?"

"That would be great," Paul said.

"Tell you what, how about you and I go to the library together, and Anna and Kristoff can go show Aaron the garden."

"That sounds wonderful," Aaron said.

"Oh you're going to love the garden! Olaf plants the prettiest flowers I've ever seen!" Anna cried.

"Who's Olaf?" Aaron asked.

"Oh you'll see," Anna said, deciding to keep Olaf's identity a surprise.

Anna grabbed Aaron's hand along with Kristoff's, and began pulling them in the direction of the gardens. Meanwhile, Elsa took Paul to the Arendelle library. When the doors opened, the two went over to one of the shelves and began examining the many books.

"This one is my favorite," Elsa said, picking a book from off the shelf.

"Wuthering Heights, huh? That's a good one."

"I've read it a hundred times, and it never gets old. It's such a romantic story." She opened the book and began reading the first page.

"Do you have a favorite book?" she asked.

Paul picked up one of the books off the shelf, and dusted it off. "Yes I do. This one here actually."

He showed Elsa the book that he held. "Robinson Crusoe" I don't think I've read that one" Elsa said.

"Oh it's such a good book. It's about man trapped on a desert island. I would highly recommend it."

"Well, I'll definitely check it out after I finish reading "Oliver Twist."

The two looked through more shelves pulling out books here and there and commenting on them. Paul was surprised at how many novels Elsa had read, and was even more impressed with her memory of all the details. The two discussed many different books such as "Gulliver's Travels" and Candide. Paul had never met anyone before who enjoyed reading as much as he did. His brother hated to read, and his parents never had the time for it. Elsa was the first person he actually had a conversation with about a book.

"I just wish I could spend my entire day reading books," Elsa said, looking around the library. "But unfortunately duty calls."

"I know what you mean. If I had to choose between going to a royal party with my parents and reading a book in bed, I'd take the latter."

"Does Aaron like to read?" Elsa asked.

Paul shook his head. "He's always hated it. He says it's a waste of time."

Elsa nodded, surprised to hear what Paul had told her. "Your brother is quite the gentleman I must say," she said.

"I guess," Paul said glumly.

Elsa looked at Paul who had his head hung low so she couldn't see his face.

"Paul, is something wrong?" she asked.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about," he said.

"I hate seeing you upset. Come on tell me what's on your mind," Elsa offered.

"It's just…everyone thinks Aaron is the bigshot of the family. He's always the one getting praised for this or that. The one who gets all the girls, the one everybody loves the most. Me, I'm just the spare. I wish it was different for a change."

Elsa looked at Paul, her eyes full of concern. It hurt her to see him like this. She had no idea that he felt that way. She always assumed that the two brothers were the best of friends. Elsa bit her lip as she tried to think of something to say to Paul to cheer him up.

"Paul, you can't compare yourself to your brother. You are who you are. Just be yourself and that's all that matters. If it helps any, I like you a lot. I've never met someone who loved reading as much as I do. It's nice. You're also very kind, polite, and very intelligent. Those are admirable qualities to have."

Paul smiled. He deeply appreciated the queen's words. "Thank you, Your Majesty," he said.

"Please, call me Elsa," she said, giving him a pat on the back. "Hey! I got an idea! How would you like to see my ice palace?"

"That would be great, but isn't it getting a little late," Paul said, looking at the sun starting to set outside the window.

"We can go tomorrow. You have to see it. It's my most prized creation."

"I've heard a lot about it. It sounds cool."

"Pun intended?" Elsa asked teasingly.

Paul laughed in response. He actually hadn't thought of that one. "Sure, I'd love to go."

Just then the door opened, and Aaron walked in.

"Way to ruin the moment, bro," Paul muttered under his breath.

"Prince Aaron, how nice to see you? Did you enjoy your tour of the garden?" Elsa asked.

"It was splendid. And Olaf is quite the character if I do say so myself."

Elsa laughed. "He certainly is."

"So what have you two been up too?" Aaron asked.

"We were just talking about the books we've read," Elsa replied. "Your brother is quite the reader."

Aaron chuckled. "I swear that boy almost always has his head in a book."

"Well, dinner should be here shortly," Elsa said, looking at the clock on the wall. "What do you say we all head into the dining hall?"

"That sounds wonderful. You go on ahead. I need to speak to my brother for a minute," Aaron said. Elsa stood up, and smoothed out her dress. She then excited the library, and headed to the dining hall, leaving Paul and Aaron alone in the library.

"Spending a little quality time with the queen?" Aaron asked teasingly.

"We were just talking about books," Paul explained.

"Figured as much. I'm honestly surprised she is into that crap."

"Just because you don't like it doesn't mean its crap," Paul said in defense.

"Whatever. When we're married she won't have time for that so she might as well enjoy while she can."

"You don't even know if she likes you or not?" Paul said irritably.

Aaron smiled. "Oh Paul, have you seen the way she looks me? She's just begging me to pop the question."

"You just met her," Paul said in disbelief at his brother's cocky attitude.

"That doesn't matter," Aaron snapped. "She'll soon see that I'm the man of her dreams, and we'll be married before you know it."

"She's not an object so stop talking about her like she is one," Paul snapped back.

"Paul, the man is the dominant one in the relationship. Even you know that. Oh wait, I forgot you've never had a girlfriend, have you?" Aaron said with smirk. "You wouldn't understand these things."

Aaron turned and started to walk towards the door. Before leaving he turned around to say one last thing to Paul. "And as for your little heart to heart with the queen, I get my hopes up I were you. She's not interested in you. She has her eyes on the real prize."

Aaron shut the door, and left, leaving Paul alone in the library.

"Brothers," Paul mumbled to himself as he exited the room.

* * *

**And the love triangle continues. I wanted to give Elsa and Paul a moment together since last chapter she spent most of her time with Aaron. Things will start to intensify from here. Hope you're still enjoying so far! Also, let me know what you guys think so far! Feedback is greatly appreciated! **


	5. The Ice Palace

Chapter 5:

The Ice Castle

* * *

Early the next morning, Paul joined Elsa for a quick breakfast. After which, the two set out together for the ice palace. Paul had been looking forward to the trip. Not only did he get to see the queen's most majestic creation up close, he also got to spend some time with her as well. The two took two horses, and made their way up the north mountain. Along the way, the talked more about subjects they had in common. Elsa was surprised to learn that Paul was a musician and could play guitar.

"That's awesome. You'll have to play me a song sometime," she said.

"Ok. I will," Paul said happily.

"How long have you been playing?"

"Since I was seven. My father taught me himself."

"I remember my father used to play the piano," Elsa said, thinking back to her childhood. "He tried to teach me a little, but I never did get it. Maybe I could try playing the guitar sometime."

Paul nodded. "Sure. I'll teach you sometime if you like. It's not that hard. Like anything it just takes a lot of practice."

"I would imagine so," Elsa said. The two stopped their horses at the foot of the ice staircase. Elsa wanted Paul to take a moment to take in all that he was seeing. She could tell by the look on his face that he was impressed.

"Oh…my…word," he said, his eyes wide as could be. "It's…It's beautiful."

"Thank you. In all my years of trying to suppress my powers, I never thought I could create something like this," Elsa said. "Shall we go inside?"

"Oh yes," Paul said excitedly. He was already enjoying what he saw on the outside. Surely the inside was even better. Elsa waved her hand and the ice doors flew open. The two stepped inside the foyer, and looked all around them.

"The architecture is amazing!" Paul said, running a hand down one of the walls. "Such intricate detail." Do you come up here often?"

Elsa shook her head. "Not really. Ever since I returned to Arendelle I've been so busy with my duties as queen that I haven't had much time to come up here. Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf come here a lot though. They love it. Sometimes though, when I just get so overwhelmed and need some time to myself, I'll come up here for a few hours and relax. I know the last thing I should do is isolate myself from Anna, especially after doing it for thirteen years. But sometimes you need to be alone, you know?"

"I know what you mean. There are days when Aaron drives me so crazy, I leave the palace for days on end just to be rid of him."

Elsa grew concerned. He was talking angrily about his brother again, and it hurt her to see him do so.

"Paul, I know you and your brother have your differences, but I promise you, he loves you very much," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I beg to differ," Paul scoffed.

"What makes you say that?" Elsa asked.

"He's always picking on me. Every day he has some kind of nasty remark to say to me, and he's always getting me into trouble. Not to mention his fire powers are a real pain in the ass. When I was ten, he asked me if I wanted a back massage. Like a fool I said OK, and he told me to lie down on my stomach. He took off my shirt, told me to close my eyes, and then heated up his hands and burnt my back."

"He burnt your back? Elsa cried in disbelief.

"I've got the scar to prove it," Paul said irritably. "You should have seen him when I jumped up screaming in pain. He was laughing like a hyena. The guy is a real jerk."

Elsa thought about what Paul had just told her. She thought she and Anna had a complicated relationship after all these years, but it was nothing compared to the way Paul and Aaron behaved toward each other. Maybe she could do something to fix that while they were still at Arendelle.

"Come on, I want to show you something," she said. Elsa took Paul by the hand and led him up the staircase to the second floor. "Close your eyes," Elsa said before they turned the corner. Paul did as he was told, and Elsa led him a few steps forward into the room until he was on the balcony overlooking the North Mountain.

"Ok. Now open,"

Paul opened his eyes, and gasped as he saw the sun towering high in the sky over the North Mountain. From the distance he could see the Arendelle castle in all its glory. It was amazing.

"Do you like it?" Elsa asked.

"I love it," Paul said, a huge smile on his face. "The view is spectacular."

"I know. It never ceases to amaze me. I could spend hours up here just looking across the landscape."

Paul and Elsa walked further and leaned forward on the balcony. They kept quiet for a little while, just enjoying each other's company, and the view of course.

After a few minutes of silience, Paul spoke. "So what do you think of my brother?" he asked.

"I think he's definitely an interesting person," Elsa said.

"Is that all?" Paul asked eager to here more of answer.

"What else do you want me to say?"

"Nothing. Just forget I asked," Paul said.

The silence continued for another few minutes. As it did, Paul stole a quick glance at Elsa. "My God she is so beautiful," he thought to himself. The sun's rays shone throughout her blonde hair, giving it a golden like appearance. Her blue eyes looked like two precious sapphires embedded in her sockets. The dress she was wearing was the same color as her traditional ice gown, but this one had a little bit of green embroidered into it. Paul found himself staring at the way the dress complimented her figure; he could see the outlines of her hips as she leaned her knees into the balcony. Urvea had more than its fair share of beautiful women. He should know, he had been with a few before. But none could compare to Elsa. And it wasn't just her beauty that captivated him; it was her personality as well. She was kind, gentle, intelligent, and loving. The citizens of Arendelle were truly blessed to have her as their queen. As Elsa continued to stare off into the sun, Paul scooted closer towards her, and slowly kissed her on the cheek.

Elsa spun around and looked at him, very confused at what just happened.

"What are you doing?" she cried.

"I'm…so…so sorry I was just caught up in the moment," Paul explained, his face bright red.

"Don't ever do that again," Elsa warned him sternly.

"I'm sorry. I really am," Paul cried, hoping to make her understand.

"Fine. Let's get going. It'll be lunchtime soon," Elsa said. She quickly turned around and headed downstairs. Paul followed her, but made sure to keep a good distance away. He didn't want to creep her out any more than he already had.

* * *

Unlike their ride to the ice castle, Elsa and Paul's return to Arendelle was one of complete silence. Neither spoke to one another as they went down the mountain and into the kingdom. Elsa kept a straight face as she led her horse, never once breaking eye contact with what was in front of her.

Paul cursed himself for his actions. You idiot, you don't just kiss a girl you just met. Not to mention a girl who is the queen! When the two arrived, they put their horses in the stables, and entered the palace. For the first time in what felt like hours, Elsa spoke.

"I'm going to go freshen up," she said softly. "You may enter the dining hall now if you wish. Lunch should be served soon."

After she left, Paul decided that he wasn't hungry at the moment, and instead went to his room. He sat on the edge of the bed thinking about what just transpired between him and Elsa. He was so overwhelmed by passion that he couldn't help himself. What a stupid thing to do. He should have known that she would have been offended by him kissing her. If there was any chance of Paul winning Elsa's heart, it was certainly long gone now. All thanks to his stupid feelings.

Paul pulled a large case out from under his bed, and opened it. In it contained the acoustic guitar his father bought him many years ago. He slipped the strap around his shoulder, and started to play. Music always soothed his soul.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elsa had just entered the dining hall to find Aaron, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf eating.

"Elsa! Come join us," Aaron called as soon as he spotted the queen.

"Yeah Elsa!" Olaf cried.

Elsa smiled, and took a seat at the far end of the table. As soon as she sat down, Aaron picked up his plate and moved to the seat next to her.

"What have you been up too, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"I just got back from showing Paul my ice palace," Elsa explained. "He really liked it."

"Well, you'll have to show me sometime," Aaron said. "People say it's one of the most beautiful things they've ever seen."

"I will," Elsa said. She lifted up the teapot near her and slowly pourd the tea into the cup. After taking a sip, she noticed it was unnsually cold.

"Normally I don't mind the cold, but I prefer my tea to be warm when I drink it," she said placing the cup down.

"I can fix that," Aaron said, taking the cup. He held it in the palm of his hand, and instantly the tea got hotter, and a small bit of steam could be seen rising from the liquid.

"Careful, it might be a little too hot," he said, handing the cup back to Elsa. The Queen took a small sip, and smiled at the result. "It's perfect," she said. "Thank you, Aaron."

"My pleasure. Say, Your Majesty, do you have any plans for later this evening?" Aaron asked.

"Well, I was going to look over some more reports, but I suppose they could wait. Why, did you have something in mind?"

"I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me?" I know the chef here can provide you with a delicious meal, but I want to do something special for you. For all you've done for me and my brother."

Elsa smiled. "That's so sweet of you, Aaron. I'd love too."

"Excellent. What time should I meet you?

"How about 5:00 in the courtyard?" Elsa suggested.

"Splendid. I will see you then."

The two continued their conversation, all the while enjoying each other's company. Elsa was glad to have something to take her mind off of what just happened with Paul. It had been bugging her the past hour. As the two finished off their lunch downstairs, upstairs Paul had just finished writing a song. He had written the lyrics on a piece of parchment that he found in the room, along with the guitar chords. The song was titled "Blue Eyes."

* * *

**I know this chapter is short, but I wanted to give you all something before finals start here at school. I probably won't have time to write then. Thank you all so much for the reviews so far. It really means a lot to me, and they're always appreciated. Hope you're still enjoying!**


	6. True Colors

Chapter 6:

True Colors

**It turns out I had some time on my hands, and I wrote this chapter for you all. Also, since this is my first Frozen fic, I would gladly accept any suggestions or tips for the story. Enjoy!**

* * *

Elsa met Aaron in the courtyard at 5:00 as they scheduled. From there, the two went to a fancy restaurant on the west side of the village called "Mortimors." Aaron found out from a reliable source that it was the best restaurant in all of Arendelle. "Only the best for my queen," he said to himself. The two were seated immediately upon arrival. Their waiter was very kind, and quickly took their orders.

"I will have the roast beef with a side of broccoli, and peas," Elsa said, handing her menu to the waiter.

"Excellent choice, Your Majesty. And you sir?" The waiter asked.

"I'll take the chicken parmesan. Also, a bottle of red wine for the queen and I to share," Aaron said.

"Yes, Your Highness. Coming right up."

After the waiter left Elsa and Aaron continued their conversation from earlier that day. The two were discussing the many royal duties they were expected to perform in their respective kingdoms.

"I can't tell you how many meeting I have to attend in one day," Elsa said. "And they're so long too. Sometimes I zone out if I've been listening to the council talk for two hours straight. Most of the time I'm attentive and I listen and respond to what they have to say, but there are those days you know where you need a break."

"I agree. When Paul and I were kids our father had us attend these daily "royal tutoring sessions" as he so lovingly called them. There we would learn all about politics, how to run a kingdom, trade embargos, etc. And the whole time I just wanted to go outside and play."

"Wow. I'm surprised your father made you learn all that stuff at such an early age."

Aaron sighed, leaning his head back on the booth. "Well, the sooner the better," as he always said. "Paul on the other hand loved these sessions. You should have seen him. He was a kid at Christmas ready to open presents. He loves learning, which is one of the reasons why I think he always has his head stuck in a book. Me, I don't need education to be a great ruler. It's in my blood; it all comes naturally to me.

Elsa raised an eyebrow. How could he be so cocky? She wondered.

"Well, there are certain things you have do when you're a crowned prince," Elsa explained. "When I was growing up I too had to attend meetings and do things I didn't like, but I knew I had to do it if I was to ever take the throne someday."

Aaron chuckled. "A true leader doesn't need anyone telling him how to rule his kingdom. He rules his own way with an iron fist."

Elsa groaned. His arrogance was starting to annoy her. "The point I'm trying to make is that there a certain things you have to do before you get to a certain place, that's all."

Before Aaron could respond, the waiter returned with their meals. Aaron started to eat as soon as his plate was placed in front of him. Elsa however, took her time and waited till everything was in order. Aaron poured a glass of red wine for each of them. They toasted to their kingdoms; and then began to eat their meal. Elsa took a bite of her roast beef, and frowned. Aaron was quick to notice.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"This meat is pretty cold," Elsa said honestly.

Aaron slammed his fists down on the table, startling Elsa. "Dammitt. That's the second time today someone has pulled that crap on you. Where's the waiter? I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

Elsa held up her hands to protest against this, but Aaron was already on a roll.

"Hey waiter! Get your ass over here!" he yelled. Elsa had never seen Aaron like this before. The waiter quickly made his way to their table, a look of concern was on his face.

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?" he asked anxiously.

"You're damn right something is wrong. You served your queen cold roast beef. What the hell is matter with you? Don't you know who she is?

"Aaron, please it's not that big of a deal," Elsa said, embarrassed by the spectacle he was giving.

"She's the queen of Arendelle. Therefore, she deserves the best of the best, and what do you give her, something less than that. If you had pulled something like this in my kingdom I would have hung you out to dry. Aaron grabbed Elsa's plate and threw it across the restaurant. The plate shattered as it hit the wall sending bits of food and glass in all directions.

The waiter looked terrified. He was shaking and rubbing his hands together. Elsa felt sorry for him. Aaron shouldn't have been so cruel.

"Aaron, I said its fine! Now look what you've done! You threw my food away!" she cried.

Frost started to creep along the walls of the restaurant. The other customers looked on in horror as icicles grew from booths Elsa and Aaron were sitting in.

"Elsa, you're the queen, you shouldn't have to take this kind of treatment," Aaron exclaimed.

"It could have easily been fixed, Aaron. I could have sent it back for them to cook it a little longer or better yet, you could be polite and heat the damn thing up like you did the tea this afternoon."

A flurry of snow started to fall from the ceiling. The customers groaned; angry that the Snow Queen was ruining their meal. The waiter promised to bring Elsa a fresh piece of roast beef at once, but Elsa wasn't hungry anymore. Aaron had embarrassed her in front of her own people. That was too much to bear. She turned to face the other customers in the restaurant.

"I'm very sorry," she said, cutting off the snowfall. We will be leaving now. Please enjoy your meal."

Elsa stormed out of the restaurant leaving Aaron behind to pay for food, and the damage done. When he was finished, Elsa was waiting outside for him.

"Just get me back to the palace," she snapped.

Aaron was puzzled at Elsa's reaction. He had stood up for her, and this is how she repaid him? Queen or not, no one treated Aaron Clayworth that way.

"Hey, wait a minute," he growled, grabbing Elsa by the arm.

"Let go of me," Elsa shouted.

"Not till you show a little gratitude," Aaron hissed.

"Prince Aaron if you don't unhand me this second, I will freeze you to the wall, and personally see to it that you never return to Arendelle ever again."

Aaron let go of the queen. As angry as he was at her behavior, he couldn't risk losing her. He quickly apologized, but Elsa would hear none of it.

"You embarrassed me in front of all those people," she said sternly. "I told you that it was fine, but did you listen? No. You just kept picking at it until it blew up in my face. I am very disappointed in you, Prince Aaron."

Elsa began to walk home towards the palace leaving Aaron behind at the restaurant. He had screwed up big time. Now she was angry at him. But for no good reason? He muttered to himself. "I was standing up for her." "That ungrateful little bitch." Knowing it was probably best to let Elsa cool off for a while, Aaron sat on the pier watching the boats go by for the time being. "Just wait, Queen Elsa. You'll see that I'm the one for you, and that I'm the best thing that could ever happen to Arendelle. Just wait and see."

* * *

When Elsa returned to the palace she went straight to her room. It had been a long day, and the sooner she got to sleep, the better she would feel. As she walked down the hallway to her room she heard the sound of music coming from Aaron and Paul's bedroom. It sounded really good. Elsa placed her ear against the door, and listened as she heard the sound of a guitar playing and a voice singing. It was Paul!

_"Girl, words can't describe the feeling I get when I'm around you,_

_Especially when I look into the eyes so deep and blue._

_The world becomes a better place for everyone._

_And to think it's because of all of the things that you've done._

_You're the greatest thing I've seen in my life,_

_I what I would do to make you my wife_

_I'd give every beat of my heart just to see you smile._

_I'd do anything to just be with you awhile"_

The song ended, and Elsa heard Paul shuffling around inside his room. She took a deep breath and knocked on his door.

"Come in," he called.

Elsa turned the knob and walked inside. Paul was surprised when he saw who it was.

"Queen Elsa, I'm so sorry. Did I wake you? I should have known better than to play guitar this late at night. It's just that music is very soothing to me. I'm sorry, I won't play anymore."

"No, no. You didn't wake me," Elsa explained, walking closer towards Paul. "I just got back from dinner with Aaron."

"Oh. That's good. Did you two have a good time?" Paul asked, trying to hide the envy in his voice.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Elsa sighed. "I heard you playing though just as I walked by your room. You're really good."

Paul blushed. He hadn't counted on Elsa hearing the song he'd written for her. Oh good this was embarrassing.

"Thank you," he stuttered. A moment of silence followed as Paul fought to find the right words to say.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry for what transpired between us this afternoon. It was wrong of me to kiss you without your permission. I just…I don't know what came over me."

Elsa smiled; she had long since forgiven him for that. Besides, it was nothing compared to what his brother did to her that evening. And she knew deep down that Paul was definitely seeking her hand in marriage so it was only natural that he felt compelled to kiss her.

"It's alright, Paul. You don't have to apologize," she assured.

"I just feel bad for invading your personal space like that," he explained. "You're the queen of Arendelle, and I treat you like one, not like some random girl."

Elsa laughed. "Paul, I may be queen, but I can assure you that I'm still human."

"I know. It's just, someone like you deserves the utmost respect. Not just because you're the queen, but because you're such an amazing person as well."

Elsa blushed, truly touched by Paul's compliment. "Why, thank you, Paul. That means a lot to me."

"Well, I should be getting to bed," Paul said, changing the subject. "I got to get up early tomorrow. We're heading back to Urvea."

"Oh. Of course," Elsa said.

"I just wanted to let you know that you're really good at playing the guitar. I liked your song," she said smiling.

Paul blushed; his face was the color of a tomato. "Thank you, Queen Elsa. I appreciate that."

"Do you think you can teach me how to play sometime?" she asked.

"Of course. I mean if we see each other again, I most certainly will."

"Great. I've always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. Well, goodnight Paul. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Queen Elsa," Paul said; the nervousness really showing in his voice. After she left, Paul fell back onto his bed in disbelief. Queen Elsa had actually forgiven him for his actions. Moreover, she really liked the song he wrote for her. "I wonder if she knew who it was about," he thought. "I hope not. That would be embarrassing."

With that, Paul changed into his pajamas, and went to sleep. Strangely, he couldn't' stop smiling.

* * *

**There you have it, the true colors of Aaron are starting to show as well as Paul's feelings for Elsa. I wrote the song myself by the way. It's not great I know, but I thought it really conveyed Paul's feelings well. Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are greatly appreciated **


	7. Choices

Chapter 7:

Choices

* * *

Early the next morning, Aaron and Paul packed their things, and loaded them aboard the ship. Elsa woke up early to see them off. She was still a tad bit angry at Aaron for his behavior yesterday, but she didn't want him to leave on bad terms. She walked the two down to the pier where the crew was getting ready to set sail. There they said their goodbyes.

"Well, it's been a real pleasure having you gentleman here," Elsa said with a smile. "We'll be in touch from here on out, especially with our new trade agreement in order."

"Indeed. I will write to you every chance I get, Queen Elsa. Perhaps, you and your sister can visit Urvea sometime," Aaron suggested.

"That would be nice," Elsa said politely. "Farewell, Prince Aaron."

"Farewell to you, Queen Elsa. Until we meet again." He reached out and gently took Elsa's hand and gave it a kiss. Elsa politely smiled back in return; in all honesty she really didn't care for him doing that.

"Goodbye, Queen Elsa," Paul said. "It's been really good getting to know you these past few days."

Elsa smiled. "It's been wonderful getting to know you as well, Paul. Do take care." Elsa hugged the younger brother, which caught him by surprise. Elsa didn't know why she hugged Paul; she just felt compelled to do it. She would miss having Aaron and Paul around; they were definitely two interesting characters both with unique personalities. Hopefully in time, Aaron could learn to control his temper. Elsa liked the man a lot, but anger was something that didn't sit well with her. It was a turn off to say the least.

"Well, we best get going," Aaron said, giving Paul a nudge on the shoulder. "Mother is probably dying to see us."

He boarded the ship with Paul following suit. Once aboard, a horn was blown, and the ship left the docks. Aaron and Paul stood at the bow waving goodbye to Elsa as they sailed out of the harbor.

When their ship vanished from plain sight, Elsa sighed. The council would probably want an answer from her now that she met Aaron and Paul. But she didn't know who to pick. She liked both of the brothers the same. Trying to pick one would be like trying to light a match in the rain. As she sat on the dock watching more boats sail in and out of the harbor, she heard footsteps from behind her. She turned and saw Anna happily smiling.

"Did they leave?" she asked.

"Yep. They just did," Elsa replied.

Anna took a seat beside her sister. "It was wonderful having them here for the past few days. Aaron is such a gentleman."

"Hmm," Elsa scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anna asked, confused.

"He may act like a gentleman most of the time, but he definitely isn't always that way."

"That's strange. He's always been so nice to me. Early this morning he told me I had the preettist eyes he'd ever seen. That was so sweet."

Elsa didn't feel like telling Anna about what happened in the restaurant last night. Her sister was obviously very happy, and liked Aaron a lot. She didn't want to kill her happiness.

"I wish I got to know Paul more though," Anna said.

"I do too," Elsa said, thinking back to their conversation last night. Paul's song had really touched her; in a way that she never felt before. She knew the song was about her; that much was obvious, but she didn't know why she enjoyed it as much as she did. "Maybe it's his singing voice," she said. "He does know how to sing," she thought. "Or maybe it's the melody. After all, it was a catchy tune. Elsa closed her eyes and started humming the tune that she remembered from the evening. It was soothing; she could hear it clearly in her head, the lyrics, the music, it was as if Paul was right there beside her playing it.

"Are you tired?" Anna asked, noticing Elsa had her eyes closed.

"A little bit," Elsa lied. "I have a meeting with the council in an hour and I'm really not looking forward to it. They're going to want to have an answer regarding my suitor."

"What are you going to tell them?" Anna asked.

"The truth. That I'm still deciding."

"What about Aaron or Paul? They seem like they would both be great choices, especially Aaron."

"I'm definitely interested in them, but I don't know which one would be the best for Arendelle."

"Is that how you're picking a suitor? By choosing who you think is best for Arendelle?" Anna asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, what's wrong with that?" Elsa asked.

"Elsa, you choose who you love the most, not who you think is the most capable of ruling a kingdom. Anybody is capable of learning anything. It's who you feel the most affection for that matters the most. The person that you feel most comfortable being around."

Elsa thought back to Aaron and Paul. She had enjoyed the company of both men, but the feeling that each one gave her was different. Whenever she was with Aaron, she felt strong, and happy talking to someone who can understand her better because he has powers similar to her own. Aaron may have made a fool of himself last night at dinner, but everybody makes mistakes. The two of them got along well together, and Elsa enjoyed the conversations they had.

Then there was Paul, the soft-spoken brother. Like his brother he was indeed very handsome, but not as outgoing. The two surprisingly had something in common with their love of reading. Paul was also very easy to talk too, unlike his brother who always wanted to talk about big and important things like ruling a kingdom, his powers, or the duties of royalty. With Paul she could unwind a bit more, and talk about everyday things like books, music, and the weather. Things like that may have sounded boring to other women, but not to Elsa. She liked talking about everyday things. It made her feel like she just like everyone else for a change, and not the queen of Arendelle. That was another thing about Paul; he treated her like a queen should be treated, but he also did something more. He acknowledged her title, and respected it greatly, but he still treated her like she was normal person like anyone else. He didn't shower her with compliments or praise her continuously like Aaron did. He treated her like he would anybody; with respect and kindness.

"So who do you like the most?" Anna asked, breaking Elsa out of her train of thought.

"Honestly, I like them both the same," Elsa said. "They're both unique in their own way."

"I can certainly agree with that assessment," Anna said. "I know I said I like Aaron a lot, but from what little time I spent with Paul, I will say that he is definitely a sweetheart. This morning I came to breakfast late so I missed out on the pancakes. The chef said he could go cook some more, but it would take a while. I agreed to wait, but Paul told the chef not to worry about it. He gave me his last two pancakes instead. I kindly turned them down, but Paul insisted. I thought that was really sweet."

Elsa could picture Paul handing her sister two pancakes that were rightfully his onto her plate. One thing about Paul that really stood out the most was his selflessness. He was always putting others before himself; no matter what the situation was. In that way, he really reminded her of her father.

The clock struck noon, and Elsa realized that what she was dreading was now here. The meeting with the council. She said goodbye to Anna, and made her way back to the palace, dreading the upcoming meeting that awaited her.

* * *

Aaron and Paul had arrived in Urvea around 12:00. When they reached port, their mother and father were there to greet them. Queen Lilly hugged both her sons tightly the second they stepped off the ship.

"Oh boys, I'm so glad you're home. It hasn't been the same without you," she said.

"Yes indeed. We've certainly missed you two," King Alan said. "How was your trip?"

Paul opened his mouth to speak, but Aaron beat him to it. "Absolutely wonderful. Arendelle is a beautiful kingdom, and Queen Elsa herself is a sight for sore eyes. I opened up a trading agreement with them while I was there. I figured it would be a good way to strengthen our relationship with Arendelle."

"Excellent. That's my boy," King Allan said, patting Aaron on the back. "How did your time with the queen go?"

"Splendid. We get along swimmingly. After spending the last few days with her, I'm certain she's the woman I want to marry," Aaron said proudly.

Paul frowned. He knew it was too good to be true. Just like all the other women, Queen Elsa saw him as just the sweet little brother of Aaron.

"Excellent, are you planning to propose soon?" Queen Lilly asked.

"I'm going to wait a few months, get to know her a little more, and then I'll pop the question," Aaron said. If she accepts, and I don't doubt she will, then we will married as soon as possible, and I'll take my place beside her as king of Arendelle," Aaron beamed.

King Alan and Queen Lilly looked at their eldest son and smiled. They both knew that he was going to be a great ruler someday. His confidence, charisma, intelligence, all traits of a brilliant leader. After fussing over Aaron, the king and queen turned their attention to Paul.

"Paul my boy, did you enjoy your trip?" King Alan asked, patting his youngest son on the back.

"Yes I did, sir. Queen Elsa is very nice," Paul replied.

"Oh don't you be getting any ideas, young man," King Alan said, waving a finger to Paul. "Your brother has his eyes on her. From what I hear, the two already have something going on."

"I won't father. I'm very happy for Aaron," he lied.

"Good to hear. Now how about we all go inside and have some lunch. I've missed eating with my boys," King Allan said.

"Sounds great, father. Just let me get something from my cabin" Aaron said.

"Very well. We'll see you inside."

When the king and queen had vanished from sight, Aaron walked up to Paul; an angry glare gleaming in his eyes.

"Best heed father's advice, little bro. Elsa is mine," he hissed.

Paul wasn't going to be pushed around by his brother. He glared back at Aaron with the same amount of fierceness.

"I don't care what you do, Aaron. Just treat Queen Elsa with the respect she deserves," he growled.

Aaron chuckled, and placed a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Oh don't worry about that, little bro. When I'm king of Arendelle, she'll learn a whole new meaning of the word."

Paul felt his shoulder grow hotter. When he looked to his right, he saw that his suit was on fire.

"You son of a bitch!" he cried.

Aaron leaned back and laughed, enjoying his brother's misery.

Needing to put the fire out, Paul did the first thing that came to his mind and jumped into the harbor. When he came back up, the fire was extinguished, and Aaron was laughing like a hyena.

"See you inside, little bro. Be sure to dry off," he sneered.

"You really suck, Aaron you know that?" Paul cried. "This is a brand new suit!"

"WAS a brand new suit," Aaron said, turning to walk away.

By the time Paul had climbed out of the harbor, Aaron was gone, leaving him to drip dry his way back to the palace. When he entered the dining hall, he found his mother, father, and brother sitting together eating sandwiches.

"My God Paul, why are you soaking wet?" Queen Lilly asked upon seeing her youngest son.

"Yes, Paul, what happened? I hope you know that you just ruined a brand new suit," King Alan said.

Paul looked at Aaron who was calmly sitting and eating his sandwich. What was the point in telling them the truth? They wouldn't believe him anyway.

"I accidently fell into the harbor," Paul lied.

"You should be more careful," Aaron said, a wicked grin plastered on his face.

"Oh I will," Paul said with a firm voice. "From here on out, I most certainly will."

* * *

**The suspense is building. Aaron truly is a jerk as indicated by the way he treats Paul, and his parents certainly don't help the situation obviously because they favor him. Next chapter however, will be Paul's turn to shine, and he'll really give Aaron a run for his money. Thank you all so much for the reviews. I appreciate that. Hope you're still enjoying!**


	8. Sharpshooting

Chapter 8:

Sharpshooting

* * *

A few weeks had passed since Aaron and Paul had left Arendelle, and things were still the same for Elsa. She had daily meetings with the council, duties to perform, and spending time with Anna. Just as she predicted, the council continued to pester her about choosing a suitor. Every time she responded the same way by telling them that she would choose someone when she was ready. One afternoon, as Elsa sat in her room writing several reports, Kai came in and gave her a letter. Elsa inspected the envelope carefully, and noticed that it had the Urvea seal on it. She opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment.

_Dearest Queen Elsa of Arendelle,_

_It is an honor to have finally established a trading agreement with Arendelle. We have heard many great things about your kingdom from our sons. Now my wife and I would like to get to know you and your sister personally. I humbly invite you and your sister to spend the weekend at our kingdom. Here we will get to know one another, and you may explore our kingdom as well. We eagerly await your arrival. _

_Sincerely, _

_King Alan of Urvea. _

Elsa folded the parchment back into the envelope. She was touched at the king's invitation. Not only would she get to see the kingdom of Urvea for herself, she would get to see Aaron and Paul again. She had missed seeing them the past few weeks. Aaron had kept in contact through letters, but it wasn't the same as actually talking to him in person. Interestingly, she hadn't heard a thing from Paul, which she thought was strange. If his brother was pursuing her hand in marriage certainly he would be as well. Elsa quickly made plans to travel to Urvea that weekend. Anna was overjoyed when she told her where they were going.

"We get to see Aaron and Paul again!" she cried, hugging her sister tightly. "I've missed them."

Elsa smiled. "Yes, I have too."

* * *

Anna had invited Kristoff to come along on the trip, but he politely declined. He said he had to stay and keep his ice business going, but he told Anna and Elsa to give Aaron and Paul his regards. The two sisters left early Friday morning and headed to Urvea.

Elsa spent most of the trip in her cabin. She wanted to get plenty of rest before they arrived. Aaron was sure to be dragging her everywhere once they arrived. As she lay on her bed she again thought about Paul not writing to her. She thought he and her had really gotten along well, and when she last saw him he seemed almost sad to leave. Could it be that he was interested in someone else? Elsa felt her heart jump as the thought crossed her mind. Paul interested in another woman? Wait a minute, why is this bugging her? Paul is a prince and his own man, he is free to pursue whoever he likes. He's not entitled to marry her. But then why did it hurt thinking about him with someone else? She finally managed to fall asleep for a few hours. When the kingdom of Urvea was in sight, Anna knocked on the door to Elsa's cabin, waking her up.

"We're almost here, Elsa!" Come out on the deck and check it out!" she cried.

Elsa got off the bed, walked over to the mirror and brushed her hair. She wanted to look presentable when she met the royal family of Urvea. She joined her sister out on the deck, and saw a large castle come into view. It was definitely big; maybe even a tad bit bigger than the castle in Arendelle. Just like her home kingdom, there was a small village surrounding the castle with various homes and shops. As they ship drew closer to port, she began to make out four distinct figures standing on the dock. Elsa instantly recognized Aaron and Paul. Aaron was wearing a red blazer with a pair of green pants, and a yellow tie. Paul on the other hand was wearing a light blue blazer with brown pants, and a red tie. They both looked as charming as when she first met them. When the ship docked, Anna was the first to run off the ship and greet the royal family.

"Aaron, Paul, it's so good to see you again!" she said, giving each of the brother's a hug.

"It's wonderful to see you as well, Anna!" Aaron said.

"Likewise," Paul said.

"And you must be King Alan and Queen Lilly. I am Princess Anna, it's an honor to meet you," she said, curtseying.

"The pleasure is all ours, Princess Anna," King Alan said.

Elsa then walked up and took a place beside her sister. Almost immediately everyone's attention was on her.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle, welcome to Urvea," King Alan said.

"It's an honor to meet you," Queen Lilly said.

Elsa politely curtseyed in return. The king and queen seemed like very kind people.

"It's an honor to meet you as well, Your Majesties. Thank you again for inviting my sister and I to spend the weekend at your kingdom."

"You're very welcome. Aaron and Paul have told us all about you, and we figured we should meet the two of you in person" Queen Lilly said.

"Shall I call the servants to bring your bags?" King Alan asked.

"Yes, please. That would lovely," Elsa replied.

King Alan signaled three men dressed in green to retrieve Anna and Elsa's things off the ship. The six of them then made their way toward the castle.

"Normally I would have a carriage bring us to and from the castle, but it is such a lovely day, I figured we should all take a walk and enjoy the sunshine," Queen Lilly said.

Elsa nodded before turning her attention to Paul who had been walking right beside her.

"So Paul, what have you been up too? I haven't heard from you in weeks," she said, eager to hear what he had to say.

"Uh…nothing much just…you know doing this and that," the usual," He explained. Elsa could tell that he was very nervous.

"How is the songwriting going?" she asked.

"Fine. I've tinkered with a few ideas here and there. I haven't really written anything special."

"I love that song that you performed for me a few weeks ago," Elsa said, remembering the tune like it was yesterday.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. He noticed that Elsa was smiling widely; and had a twinkle in her eyes. She looked very pleased at something. Something that Paul had done for her.

"Thank you, but that was nothing. I was just playing around with an idea I had," Paul explained, blushing profusely. Aaron was quick to notice this too; and he quickly intervened.

"So Queen Elsa, have you ever seen sharpshooting before?" He asked, knocking Paul over.

"I have seen our military fire their weapons many times before, yes. Why do you ask?

"Well, my family has been sharpshooting for many generations, and we've invented a little game that we like to play. It's called "Quick Target."

"That sounds interesting. How do you play?" Elsa asked.

"Well, each player has their own rifle, and they take turns shooting at old pieces of crockery, which are fired into the air by a catapult. The goal is to shoot the piece before it hits the ground. If you manage to do so, then you earn a point. The first person to reach ten points wins the match. Would you like to see a demonstration?"

Elsa had never been interested in sports, but Aaron seemed very eager to show her this game so she agreed.

"Excellent. Let's head over to the field. Father and I will face off against each other," he said, a big smile on his face.

"Actually son, your mother and I have some important matters to attend too. Maybe a little later," King Alan said.

Aaron was not happy. "Come on father, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna will love it! Besides, I don't want play without a partner!"

"I'm sorry, Aaron, but duty calls," King Alan said firmly.

"I'll play with you, Aaron," Paul said.

Aaron looked at his brother, appalled that he even offered. "You rarely play to begin with. I'll slaughter you!" he sneered.

"I sometimes play by myself when no else is around," Paul explained. Besides, you said you didn't want to play without a partner."

Knowing that Paul had caught him red-handed, Aaron reluctantly agreed. The two led Elsa and Anna out onto the field where the match was to take place. A large catapult sat in the center of the field; beside it was a chest filled with old pieces of crockery. Two servants retrieved two rifles from the shed nearby, and handed them to Aaron and Paul.

"My father had these Hawken rifles imported straight from the United States," Aaron explained. "They have a firing range of 400 yards, and are widely known for their impeccable accuracy. The two servants handed Aaron and Paul powder flasks containing ammunition. The two men poured their gun powder through the muzzle of their guns. "I'm surprised you know how to do that," Aaron said to Paul.

"I've fired a gun many times before, Aaron. I'm not brand new to this," Paul said irritably.

"Whatever. Get ready to pull the lever," Aaron called to one of the servants. "You ladies might want to stand back."

Elsa and Anna did exactly as Aaron suggested, and watched as he took his position in the center of the field.

He brought the rifle up to his shoulder, and pointed it towards the sky. "Pull!" he yelled.

The servant pulled back on the lever, sending a large piece of crockery soaring into the air. Aaron waited until the object that in direct sight of his rifle, and pulled the trigger. The .54 caliber round shot straight from the muzzle and into the air, but failed to hit the piece of crockery. The object quickly fell straight to the ground, and shattered to a million bits of pieces. Aaron looked furious. These guns were known for their accuracy, how could he miss?

"Better luck next time," Elsa called out.

"Indeed," Aaron muttered, an angry look plastered on his face. "Alright bigshot let's see what you got," Aaron said to Paul.

Paul took his place on the center of the field, and aimed his rifle at the sky. "Pull!" he yelled to the servant.

The servant pulled back on the lever, sending the piece of crockery high in the sky.

As soon as the object was in the air, Paul pulled the trigger. The round hit its target instantly, shattering the piece of crockery.

Anna and Elsa applauded as pieces of broken glass fell from the sky. "Good job, Paul!" Elsa called.

"That was a great shot," Anna said.

"Why thank you," Paul said, flattered by their compliments. "I practice every chance I get."

Aaron frowned. No way was he going to let his little brother show him up in a game that he had been playing since he was a child. He quickly took his place on the center of the field, and repeated the same process as before. As soon as the piece of crockery was in the sky, Aaron aimed carefully, and pulled the trigger. Just as before, the bullet missed its target. "Dammit! Something is wrong with this rifle!" Aaron said, examining the rifle closely.

"I don't think it's the rifle's fault, Aaron," Paul said. "I think it's the guy who's using it."

"Just shut up, and take your fucking turn!" Aaron snarled at Paul.

Paul smiled; it always made him happy when he showed his brother up in something.

Paul took his turn, and once again he hit the target instantly. The game continued for another hour; Aaron had eventually managed to hit a few pieces, but he still missed a good number of times. Paul on the other hand, hit the target every time, never missing once. Elsa was impressed at Paul's skill with the rifle. She had never pictured him to be good at something like that. Paul's talents seemed to lie in artistic things like music, not sports. Yet, here he was wiping the floor with his brother in a game that involved extreme precision and concentration. Every time Paul's round hit a piece of crockery, Elsa felt her heart leap with joy. His skills were unprecedented; truly remarkable in every way. He would make an excellent marksman in Urvea's army she thought to herself.

Eventually the game neared the end, with Paul having a total of nine points, and Aaron a total of six.

When it was Paul's turn to step up to the plate, he looked at Elsa. The Snow Queen was smiling warmly as she watched him take his position. Paul could tell that she was impressed by his skills with the rifle; he couldn't help but smile back as he aimed the barrel towards the sky.

"Hurry up, Romeo, we don't have all day!" Aaron called out.

"Pull!" Paul called. The servant pulled the lever, sending another piece of crockery into the air. Within seconds of spotting it, Paul pulled the trigger, and shattered the object into little bits.

"That's ten for me!" Paul said; a huge smile was on his face. "I guess I win."

Aaron looked like he was going to throw up. A chance he had to impress Queen Elsa, and his brother ruined it. "Damn it all," he muttered under his breath.

"Whatever. It's just a stupid game anyway."

Anna and Elsa went over to congratulate Paul on his victory. Elsa took the time to tell Paul how impressive his sharpshooting skills were. "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" she asked.

"I just practice a lot, that's all. If you want to get good at something, you have to practice."

"Well, you're certainly better than good," Elsa complimented. "You're amazing. I don't even think my best marksman shoots that well."

Paul blushed. "Thank you, Queen Elsa. I appreciate that."

"Good job, Paul," Anna said, patting him on the back. "Well, that was exhausting. What do you say we all go inside and get something to eat?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Paul agreed. After handing his rifle to one of the servants, Paul, Anna and Elsa started to make their way back to the castle. However, Paul noticed that Aaron wasn't following them. He turned around and saw his brother leaning against the shed.

"You coming, Aaron?" he asked.

"In a moment. I need to take care of something first," Aaron said.

When the three were out of sight, Aaron growled under his breath. "I am the best sharpshooter in all of Urvea," he hissed. He grabbed his rifle and marched over to the center of the field. He signaled one of the servants to pull the lever. A large piece of crockery instantly flew to the sky, and Aaron pulled the trigger. The round came awfully close to the object, but missed by a few meters.

"Dammit!" Aaron cried.

**Phew. That was a long chapter, but I figured it was high time Paul had his chance to shine. Sharpshooting requires a lot of precision and concentration; something that Paul could manage because he's very calm. Aaron on the other hand, is arrogant, and quick-tempered, which really throws off his game. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! **


	9. Lead Me Into Your Heart

Chapter 9:

Lead Me Into Your Heart

**This chapter is a little on the short side, but I thought I'd crank at least one more out for you all. I'm going to be very busy the next few days with various things so I might not update for a while. Thank you all who have reviewed this story so far. If you're enjoying the story, and haven't left a review, please do so. I really enjoy reading them, and they encourage me to continue. **

**PS: I forgot to mention that Urvea is in the country of Germany.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

When they made it back to the castle, Elsa, Anna, Paul, and Aaron all had lunch together with the king and queen. They got to know each other some more; and learned a little about Urvea's recent history. King Alan had been meaning to start process of establishing a railway company. One that would connect Urvea with the rest of Germany. Unfortunately, the process had been delayed due to other problems the kingdom was having at the time. King Alan explained how for the past few months they had been dealing with rebels on the outskirts of the city. The rebels had caused a lot of trouble for the people of Urvea; robbing stagecoaches, killing innocent people, attacking Urvea's troops out in the open. Alan and his troops had just finally managed to put a stop to them a few days ago.

"I sent one of my best men out to kill the rebel's leader," he explained. "Albert is his name, and he's got more skill with a rifle than ten men put together. Not to mention he's very bright. Albert managed to track down where the rebel's hideout was; and he and a large group of men raided their lair, and killed the rebel leader. With their leader dead, the rebels had no one to tell them what to do so they quickly surrendered. They were sentenced to life in prison without parole for crimes against the kingdom of Urvea. I can't tell you how happy I am to see that justice has been served."

"I can imagine," Elsa said. She liked King Alan and Queen Lilly. They were strong, noble leaders, but at the same time they were down to earth, which made them very approachable.

"But no sooner do I solve that problem does another one come up," King Allan groaned.

"Now I've got to deal with a convict who just broke out of prison. He's very dangerous; and every second that goes by without finding him puts more lives at risk."

"What's his name?" Elsa asked, concerned for the well-being of the people of Urvea.

"Carl Blaffler," King Allan replied. "He is a serial killer currently serving a life sentence for the brutal murders of eight women. He went on a rampage a few years ago. What made him so unique was that was very intelligent, and always made sure to leave no evidence behind. The victims were all killed the same way; by stabbing, and were nude when found. Their clothes had been stolen too. We were at a loss at where to look when we received a tip from a reliable source about a shoemaker who had an unusual obsession with women's clothing. When I sent a few of my men to investigate the home while Blaffler was away, they found eight different dresses; some of which were stained with blood. It could only mean one thing: Carl Blaffler was the killer. The dresses were later confirmed by the victim's families to be the exact dresses each of their daughters was wearing on the night they disappeared. When he was arrested, Carl denied any involvement in the murders, but after hours of interrogation he confessed. Carl showed no remorse for what he had done; he even went as far as to say that he found pleasure in killing. Quite a sick puppy if you ask me. Now that maniac is out there doing God knows what. I pray we find him before he claim's another innocent victim.

Anna and Elsa looked startled. The fact that a serial killer was roaming free among them was terrifying. And to know that he actually received gratification from killing women, made it even worse.

"I do hope you apprehend him soon," Elsa said firmly. "A monster like that deserves to be behind bars for the rest of his life."

"I couldn't agree more," King Alan said. "But enough talk about dark things, back to this whole railway idea. I've got some plans, but I haven't had the time to hire the engineers to take on the project. I guess I'll have to keep it on hold for a while.

"Why don't you have Paul do it?" Elsa suggested.

Paul looked up from his plate; a look of astonishment was on his face.

"Well, I don't know. It's a big responsibility; and a lot of hard work," King Alan said.

"Well, Paul might be ruler of the kingdom one day. It's best that he get an early start on important things such as this," Elsa said, giving Paul a big smile.

Paul still couldn't believe Queen Elsa was actually suggesting to his father to let him take on the railway project. Not that he wasn't flattered, it was just shocking that she chose him instead of Aaron.

"What do you think, son? Do you think you could handle this?"

Everyone at the table turned their attention to Paul who had been sitting quietly the entire time. Paul thought about it for a moment. There was no doubt about it; it was a huge responsibility, and a lot of work. But just think how much easier it would make trade for Urvea, not to mention, Queen Elsa herself suggested him to lead the project. An opportunity like this didn't come around often; Paul knew that he had to take it.

"Yes, sir. I will see to the building of a railway for Urvea," he said proudly.

Aaron snorted. It would be amusing to watch his brother try and fail at something that his father desperately wanted.

"Well, it's settled then. I'll leave you to it. Of course, you know you'll have to hire engineers to get the job done, and not just any engineers, the best ones in all of Europe."

Paul nodded. "I will get right on it."

"Good. Later on this evening I will show you my blueprints along with the map showing where I want the railway line to go."

After lunch, King Alan and Queen Lilly had a meeting to attend, and Aaron joined them. King Alan left Paul in charge of entertaining the sisters for the rest of the afternoon. Paul happily obliged. He took them on a tour of the Urvea castle showing them as many rooms as he possibly could. Afterwards, he took them on a tour of the gardens, which were beyond beautiful. Anna and Elsa had never seen so many different kinds of flowers. Roses, petunias, lilies, daisies, etc, it seemed like every flower in existence was planted in the Urvea garden. Elsa suggested that Paul play Anna the song he wrote, and he happily agreed. The three went upstairs to the third floor where Paul's room was. Paul retrieved the guitar case from under his bed, and removed the instrument. He took a quick minute to tune it, and then started playing.

_"Girl, words can't describe the feeling I get when I'm around you,_

_Especially when I look into the eyes so deep and blue._

_The world becomes a better place for everyone._

_And to think it's because of all of the things that you've done._

_You're the greatest thing in my life,_

_I what I would do to make you my wife_

_I'd give every beat of my heart just to see you smile._

_I'd do anything to just be with you awhile"_

"That was lovely, Paul," Anna said, giving him a round of applause.

"I told you it was good," Elsa said, doing the same.

"You have such a great voice too," Anna added. "I wish more guys knew how to sing like you."

Paul blushed, touched by her compliment. "Thank you, Princess Anna. I appreciate that. Elsa, didn't you say you wanted to learn how to play the guitar?"

Elsa's eyes widened; happy at what Paul had just asked her. "Why yes, I'd love too. I hope I don't ruin your guitar with ice."

"Don't worry about it," Paul said. "Come over here and I'll show you a few things."

Elsa sat on the bed next to Paul watching as he placed his left hand at the top of the fret board. "Ok. I'm going to teach you three chords that are most commonly used in songs," he said. Paul handed Elsa the guitar, the queen placed her left hand on the fret board just as Paul did. "The first chord is a G, and like every other chord in existence, you have to have your fingers positioned exactly right in order to play it. He reached over and gently grabbed Elsa's hand. The Snow Queen was initially surprised at the warmness of Paul's hands. Normally she was used to feeling cold; she was the Snow Queen after all, but this was different, a good kind of different. Paul gently moved Elsa's fingers to the correct positions on the fretboard. It felt awkward to Elsa at first, but she was sure that that was normal. "Alright. Now gently strum the strings below with your thumb," Paul instructed. Elsa slowly ran her thumb over the six strings from top to bottom; a sweet sound emerged from the guitar. "Does that sound right?" she asked.

"Yep. That's the G chord," Paul admitted. "Good job. Now I'll show you the other two chords; C and D. Paul showed Elsa's the finger positions for both chords; he was surprised at what a quick learner she was. Most people took some time getting used to the awkward finger positions. Elsa practiced by playing each chord after another; eventually she memorized the positions, and didn't have to look at the fretboad to make sure she was in the right place. A trickle of ice began to crawl down the fret board as Elsa started to play faster. Anna was the first to notice.

"Elsa, you're freezing Paul's guitar," she pointed out.

Elsa looked at the fretboard; and saw that it was covered in ice (No wonder it was starting to sound weird) she thought.

"Oh my apologies," Elsa said, waving her hand over the fretboard to remove the ice.

Paul laughed. "That's OK. I'm just happy that you've got the hang of it. Pretty soon you'll be writing your own songs."

Elsa blushed, touched by his compliment. "I don't know about that, Paul. I'm not the creative type."

"Nonsense, look at the ice palace you made. If that's not creative, then I don't know what is."

Anna watched as the two talked to each other. Despite thirteen years of separation, Anna knew Elsa better than anyone, and she could tell when she was really happy, and she could see that she was really happy with Paul. There was a special twinkle in her eyes whenever she looked at Paul; and every time she did a smile was on her face. She watched as her pupils dilated the more the two talked about things that they had in common, and how she rubbed her hands together excitedly. There was no doubt about it. Elsa was falling in love with Paul. Slowly, but surely.

"Hey! I have an idea!" Paul exclaimed. "How would you two like to go to see a play tonight? The local theatre is performing William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

Elsa's eyes lit up even brighter than before. "I love that play!" she cried. "We should definitely go."

"I think I'm going to sit this one out guys," Anna said. "That play is just too sad for my tastes." In reality, Anna enjoyed Romeo and Juliet, but she wanted to her sister and Paul to spend some time just with each other.

"Suit yourself," Elsa said. "What time is the play?"

"It's starts at 7:00 tonight. After dinner we can head on over to the theatre."

"Sounds like a plan," Elsa said. She was excited to see the play with Paul. Romeo and Juliet was one of her favorite Shakespearean plays. It always touched her how the two young lovers were willing to go against their family's wishes just to be together, and the tragic ending always got to her as well. It was definitely true love as far as she was concerned. Something she hoped to find one day.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Paul called. The door opened, and one of the servants walked in.

"Prince Paul, your father requests your presence in his study. He wants to show you his blueprints for the railway."

"I'd better get going then," Paul said to Elsa. "So, are we still on for tonight?"

"Sure are. Wouldn't miss it," Elsa beamed.

Paul put his guitar back in its case, and quickly followed the servant out of the room, leaving Anna and Elsa alone with each other.

"He is so sweet," Anna commented.

"Yeah, he really is," Elsa said, in a dreamy tone of voice.

"I bet you're really excited for your date," Anna said, taking a seat on the bed beside Elsa.

"I wouldn't say "excited" but I am looking forward to it," Elsa replied.

"Paul is really nice guy, Elsa. You should spend as much time as you can with him," Anna suggested.

"Yes, but that wouldn't be fair to Aaron," Elsa said.

"Ok. You can spend some time with Aaron as well. I just think that you and Paul really have a connection."

Elsa felt her heart skip a beat. Was she right? Was there some special connection between her and Paul? She thought back to earlier when Paul was teaching her how to play guitar; the way his hands felt when he touched her own; soft and warm. She remembered enjoying the feeling of his touch, despite preferring the cold. Elsa thought back to weeks ago when Paul had kissed her at her ice palace. At the time she reacted angrily because he had invaded her privacy, but in all honesty she really hadn't hated what he had done. It was just a kiss on the cheek, nothing more. And he had been so apologetic afterwards; the look on his face was heartbreaking; he seemed very upset at the thought that the hurt her.

Unlike his brother, Paul was much more down to earth, and Elsa appreciated that. She often grew tired of eccentric people who don't know when to settle down. She may have been able to relate to Aaron more in terms of her powers. He was someone who could personally understand what it was like; to possess magical abilities, having something that makes you different from everyone else. However, whenever she was with Aaron she didn't feel what she felt with Paul. With Paul, Elsa felt like she could open her heart to him, and he wouldn't judge her for what she had to say. Paul was very easy to talk too.

He may not have powers of his own; but he understood emotions much better than his brother did. She felt safe with Paul; it was as if all the dangers in the world had ceased to exist. Paul was soft-spoken, calm, compassionate and very intelligent. He would make an excellent king one day. Elsa could picture him ruling strong, fair, and with a whole lot of kindness. His subjects would truly be fortunate to have him as their leader.

But what about Aaron? How could she tell him how she felt? Moreover, how would he react? After witnessing his behavior in the restaurant that night, it was obvious that Aaron had a short temper. Elsa couldn't bear to face Aaron's wrath again. One time was more than enough. If he was willing to explode over an incorrect order, who knows what he would do when faced with rejection? The more Elsa thought about it, the more scared she became. The walls around Paul's room began to grow with ice; a strong indication that Elsa was distressed. Elsa couldn't stand having to reject someone; and for their own sibling nonetheless! She cared about Aaron very much, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. But it was clear by the way she felt, that her feelings for Paul were much stronger. No. "Conceal, don't feel," she thought to herself. That may not have worked with my powers, but it's got to work with my feelings. She would continue to spend time with Paul and Aaron, but she would remain neutral. She wouldn't show favoritism in the slightest. It had to work.

"Paul, and I do get along very well," Elsa explained. "But I'm not sure he's the one for me."

Anna rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe what her sister was telling her. "Elsa, I see the way you two interact—you're like two puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. I can tell how happy he is when he's with you—seriously the guy is practically glowing with happiness. And I see the way you act around him too. Your eyes light up, and really come alive! That's a side of you even I've rarely seen. Face it, Elsa, you're in love with Paul Clayworth."

Elsa took a deep breath, and calmly spoke. "I don't have any preference for either. I like them both just the same."

Anna frowned, and shook her head. "Unbelievable, Elsa. Even after finally realizing the power of true love, you still continue to act oblivious towards it."

She got off the bed and opened the door, but before she left, she turned around to say one last thing.

You know, Elsa, true love cannot be found where it does not exist, nor can it be denied where it does. Think about that."

Icy tears fell from Elsa's eyes as Anna shut the door behind her.

* * *

**The suspense is building, how will Elsa's date with Paul go? How long can she deny her feelings? What will Aaron do in the meantime? All to come soon.**

**Please Review!**


	10. Romance, Deception, and An Act of Peril

Chapter 10:

Romance, Deception, and An Act of Peril

**As promised, here is the longer chapter. Quite a bit of excitement in this one. Once again, thank you all for the reviews. If you are enjoying this story, please leave a review. I love reading them. :)**

* * *

Just as they had planned, Paul and Elsa had a quick dinner with the rest of the family before setting out for the play. Anna joined them as well, but she didn't speak to Elsa at all; clearly still upset at her sister. After finishing his last bit of food, Paul stood up and pushed his chair in. "I'm going to go get dressed now," he said to Elsa.

"Ok. I will do the same," she said.

"Where are you two going?" Aaron asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Paul invited me to come with him to see Romeo and Juliet at the local theatre," Elsa explained. "It's one of my favorite Shakespearean plays so I'm pretty excited.

Aaron tried hard to keep a straight face as the news slowly sank in. Paul was actually going on a date with Elsa! His Elsa! Oh no. Paul was going too far this time. He had already warned him about wooing Elsa, but it appears that Paul didn't take the hint. He was boiling with anger. Nonetheless, he did his best to maintain his rage.

"Have a nice time," he said through gritted teeth.

"Thank you, Aaron. We will," Elsa said, getting up to go get dressed.

"Yes, do take care," Anna said, speaking for the first time all evening. "As for me, I think I'm going to take a walk through the village."

"Be careful," Elsa called out to her sister. She received no reply.

It took Paul no time at all to get dressed for the evening. He put on a white shirt, black pants, and a pinstripe suit and tie. He wanted to look his best for this evening with Elsa. Paul had a feeling that the two were really starting to connect, especially after the guitar lessons he'd given her. There was no doubt about it, Paul was in love with Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Everything about her made him crazy with passion. Her beauty, her charm, her intelligence, her personality, she was one of a kind in every way. He knew that Aaron would be furious if he learned about his true feelings, but he didn't care. Paul learned a long time ago that love is something that should never be kept a secret. That's why tonight, after the play, he would reveal to Elsa how he really felt. The only thing that worried him was her reaction: What if she didn't feel the same way? He would be crushed to say the least, but he had to do it. He couldn't keep his feelings bundled up any longer. It's now or never.

Paul waited in the parlor for Elsa; butterflies flying up and down his chest. "Get a hold of yourself, Paul," he muttered to himself. A sound of footsteps came from behind, and Paul turned around to see Elsa wearing a bright light green dress coated with ice.

"Wow! You look beautiful!" Paul exclaimed.

Elsa smiled. "Thank you, Paul. You look pretty handsome yourself."

"Thanks. Well, what do you say we get going? The show will start in about twenty minutes."

"Ready when you are," Elsa said.

Paul held the door open for Elsa as she stepped into the carriage Paul had arranged to take them to the theatre. Along the way, the two talked about Shakespeare's plays, which ones they liked and which ones they didn't. Their conversation was pretty lively to say the least.

"Othello has always been my favorite," Paul said. "Such a tragic tale, but it's so well done."

"That's Shakespeare for you. The man was a genius," Elsa said. "The first time I read Hamlet I cried my eyes out. I've actually never seen one of his plays actually performed before so I'm pretty excited for this one."

"I have a feeling you're going to like it," Paul admitted. "The company that puts on the plays is widely known for their talented cast."

The carriage stopped in front of a large white building. Paul excited it and went to the other side to open Elsa's door. He extended a hand and the Snow Queen gently took it as she stepped out of the carriage. "Why thank you, Paul," she said. "You're such a gentleman."

Paul smiled in return. "So far, so good," he thought to himself. The two went inside and took their seats in one of the balconies. The view of the stage was excellent; Paul couldn't have gotten them better seats Elsa thought as she looked around the theatre. Pretty soon after they sat down, the play began and Elsa watched with excitement as Shakespeare's characters came alive right before her very eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, while Paul and Elsa were attending the play, Anna was taking a walk down one of the many streets of Urvea. She was still very mad at Elsa, and thought that the fresh air might do her some good. Why couldn't her sister see true love when it was standing right in front of her? The man was taking her to see "Romeo and Juliet" for God's sake, one of the most romantic love stories of all time! Even after they had renewed their bond over the past year, Elsa was still a complicated person to understand. Anna didn't know why Elsa was so reluctant to trust in love; she wasn't months ago when she discovered that love was the key to controlling her powers.

She went down an alleyway, which led to the East Side of town. Upon entering, she quickly noticed that it was definitely a sketchy place. Trash covered the streets, and the buildings were dilapidated and covered in dirt and grime. The people she encountered weren't any better. Most wore raggedy clothes, and smelled terrible. Anna decided that this place wasn't for her. She turned down the same alleyway that she had come in from, and was grabbed from behind by someone. Anna kicked and screamed; the person's grip getting tighter the more she resisted.

"Help me, help me!" Anna screamed. She tried to turn her head to see who had caught her, but before she could get a good look at the man, a sack was placed over her head. The man pinned Anna to the ground, and retrieved some rope from his pocket, and quickly tied her hands and feet together. He then threw Anna over his shoulders and ran off into the night.

* * *

The play was excellent. Paul wasn't kidding when he said that the theatre company had a talented cast. They were outstanding! After the two left the theatre, Paul suggested that they take a walk. Elsa agreed, and the two made their way toward a large fountain in the center of town. It was quiet. There weren't many people around; most had likely retired for the evening. Elsa sat down on the fountain's edge, and Paul soon joined her. The two continued their conversation from before about Shakespeare, with Elsa telling Paul how well she thought the actors were that evening.

"The actor who played Mercutio was hilarious," she said, laughing at the memory of the play. "He acted just like I thought he would when I first read the play."

"Those guys have talent, that's for sure," Paul said. "I saw their production of Macbeth last week, and it blew my mind."

"I would have liked to have seen that," Elsa said.

"Yeah, I wish you did too!" Paul admitted. He and Elsa looked into each other's eyes for a minute. They stared at each other both wondering what the other was thinking. A voice in Paul's head told him that now was the time to confess how he felt. Paul took a deep breath, and opened his heart.

"Queen Elsa, there is something I have to tell you," he started.

Elsa looked worried. She knew instantly what was coming next, and she was deeply afraid of it.

"I like you a lot. More than as a friend. I have ever since we met. Since I left Arendelle, you're the only thing I've thought about. I know you must have thought I forgot about you because I didn't write, but the truth is I was too afraid too. I didn't know what you say. Plus, you seemed to have your eyes all over Aaron so I didn't want to ruin the relationship between you two."

"Paul, there is no relationship between Aaron and I. We're just friends," Elsa explained.

"Really? You seemed to really like him during our stay at Arendelle," Paul retorted.

"I was being nice. I treat him the same way I treat everybody. Paul, you're a really sweet guy, and I appreciate what you've done for me and my sister. But the truth is….I'm not looking for a romantic relationship right now."

Paul raised an eyebrow; confused at what he was hearing. "Then why did you have that party weeks ago in the hopes of finding a suitor!" he asked.

"The council wanted me to do that. I just did it to get them off my back, and it still didn't work."

"So all this time you spent with me and my brother, it was just you being nice."

Elsa nodded. She had her head hung low; she couldn't bear to look Paul in the eye.

"I can't believe you, Elsa," Paul remarked.

Elsa looked up, surprised by the firmness in his voice. "You spend all that time with two guys, find out that you have a real connection with them, and you just book it. What kind of a person does that?"

Elsa grew firm; despite the sadness she felt, she knew had to stand her ground.

"Listen Paul, I care about you a lot just not in a romantic way, Okay?" she said.

"Yes you do," Paul replied.

"Excuse me? Mr. Clayworth don't you dare to tell me what I do and do not feel," Elsa said firmly.

"Look at us, Elsa! Look at the way we get along. I've never met such a person as easy to talk to as you! And it's not just that! You're kind, smart, funny, and beautiful! I love you, OK! And I know deep down you feel the same way."

The water in the fountain froze instantly. Elsa glared at Paul with the utmost amount of fierceness. It had been a good evening, until that love-struck prince opened his stupid mouth. She felt the feelings that she had earlier bubble up inside her. "Conceal, don't feel," she thought to herself. Paul was right; she did feel the same way about him, but she couldn't give into love. Not now. Icy tears emerged from her eyes as she glared straight at Paul. Holding back any affection she had for the man deep within her, she snarled through gritted teeth.

"Listen Paul, I'm going to tell you this one more time, and then we're going home. I don't love you!"

The ice in the fountain shattered at the sound of Elsa's voice, spewing all around them. Paul closed his eyes, and held up his hands to prevent the ice from hitting him. When he thought the danger had passed, he opened his eyes again; this time they were full of tears.

"Fine. Let's go," he said softly.

As the two got up to leave, a woman came running down the street towards them. "Help! There's someone in trouble!

"What's wrong?" Paul asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"It's Carl Blaffler. The serial killer who escaped prison a week ago. He's up on the roof of the bakery holding a woman hostage!"

Paul and Elsa looked at each other; both knew that they had to help.

"Take us there!" Elsa said.

The woman led Paul and Elsa down the street that she had come from. At the end there was a crowd of people holding torches, and pointing to the roof of the bakery. As Paul and Elsa got closer to the building, they saw who the woman Carl Blaffler was holding hostage: Anna!

Her hands and feet were both tied, and a gag had been placed in her mouth. Carl had one hand holding onto the back of her head, the other hand contained a long knife, which he held to her throat.

"If anybody tries anything, I'm going to make this bitch bleed!" he called out.

Elsa let out a horrified gasp upon seeing her sister in Carl's clutches. Anna meant the world to her; if anything happened to her she would never forgive herself. She had to something. Elsa marched toward the bakery, but Paul grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Let go of me, Paul. My sister is in danger!" Elsa cried.

"I know. But you heard what he said. If anyone tries anything now he'll hurt her," Paul said, trying to reason with the Snow Queen.

"Better listen to him sweetheart," said Carl from above. The killer was looking directly at Paul and Elsa who were not in front of the crowd.

"Yes, I know all about you, Snow Queen. Don't even think about trying any of your ice powers on me. If you take one more step, I'll gut your sister like a pig." Carl held the knife close to Anna's throat; tears streamed from the young woman's eyes as she felt the cold blade against her skin.

Paul turned around to face the citizens. "Go to my father. Tell him to send Urvea's best troops. We've got a hostage situation on our hands."

A few minutes later, ten Urvean troops showed up at the square; all were decked out in uniform and had rifles pointed at Carl. The serial killer took a few steps backward to get out of the line of fire; he wasn't going to take any chances with this one.

"We got to do something!" Elsa cried, icy tears covering her face.

"It's too dangerous to make a move on Blaffler now," explained one of the soldiers. "He's got the upper hand. The moment he sees us coming for him, he'll hurt Princess Anna."

"So you're just going to stand there and do nothing?" Elsa cried in disbelief.

"We're going to try to negotiate with Blaffler, and find out what he wants. Once we give into his demands he should release the princess."

"Give into his demands? He doesn't want anything! He's a psychopathic killer who enjoys killing women like my sister. Every minute we spend here talking about what to do, the more danger Anna is in. If you won't do anything about it, then I sure as hell will," Elsa snarled, an icy tone prevalent in her voice. Before the Snow Queen could take another step forward, Paul grabbed her arm again. "Elsa, wait," he said.

"Paul Clayworth, if you don't unhand me this very second, I'll freeze you from the inside out," she snarled. There was a menacing glare in Elsa's eyes; Paul could tell that filled with rage and fear. An icy wind started to blow through the air causing the trees nearby to sway back and forth. Paul met Elsa's glare with equal amount of determination; he knew what he had to do. He turned toward one of the soldiers beside him.

"Give me your pistol," Paul demanded.

The soldier complied, and handed his weapon to Paul. "What are you doing?" Elsa asked, still very much angry at Paul.

Paul checked the pistol to make sure it was fully loaded, when he saw that it was, he placed it in his coat pocket. "I'm going to go around the building and try to flank him," Paul explained. If I can get the angle on him without him seeing me, I should be able to take him out and rescue Anna."

"Let me go with you I can…

"No, Elsa," Paul said; this time very firm. "He will expect you to try something, and your ice powers might hurt Anna in the process of recusing her. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

Elsa shook her head; seeing Anna hurt would truly be the worst thing in the world, especially if she was the one who hurt her. As much as she wanted to freeze Carl Blaffler to death, she knew that Paul was right.

"Ok. Just take that son of a bitch down," she calmly stated.

Paul nodded, and made his way back through the crowd down the alleyway that led behind the bakery. The building was tall, but Paul was certain that he could climb it. Knowing there was no time to lose, he grabbed ahold of the windowsill and hoisted himself up onto a ledge. There were lots of crevices in the wall where he could dig his fingers in and get a firm grip. Paul swung his body back and forth before jumping to the next ledge. "Don't look down, don't look down," he muttered to himself.

Finally, Paul reached the top of the building and peered over the top. He looked all around on the roof, but couldn't see Carl or Anna anywhere. He hoisted himself up onto the roof, and removed the pistol from his jacket. Paul gripped the gun tightly as he slowly walked along the edge of the roof. Where could they be? He thought to himself. The roof was very big, but there was nowhere to hide on it. Paul aimed the gun forward; anticipating the moment when Carl would jump out and surprise him. He made his way down another side of the roof, and still he saw no sign of Carl or Anna. As he turned around, he was met with a fist to the face. The punch was so powerful it knocked Paul off his feet. In the process, the pistol flew out of his hand and scattered off the roof. When he finally came to, Paul looked up to see Carl Blaffler standing over him with a long knife in his right hand.

"I've been waiting for this," Carl sneered.

Paul looked to his right and saw Princess Anna tied up, but alive on the other side of the roof. She was safe for now as long as Carl had his attention on him. Carl lunged forward with the knife, aiming straight at Paul's throat. Paul threw his hands up and caught hold of the arm which wielded the knife. He was surprisingly stronger than Carl had anticipated, but no matter, he still had the upper hand. Paul was pinned to the ground as he tried to force the knife away from his face. The blade was coming closer and closer, he had to do something. Paul lifted both legs and kicked Carl in the groin. This provided the opportunity Paul needed to get up. While Carl was massaging his groin, Paul sprang up and started punching Carl in the face.

Carl quickly recovered and began swinging his knife at Paul. The young prince was quick, and managed to dodge his attacks. But how long could he last? Carl had a weapon; all he had were his bare hands. Timing it just right, Paul lunged forward and punched Carl several times in the face. He hoped that he could stun him long enough to get the knife, but Carl was just too quick. As Paul lunged forward with another punch, Carl swung the blade outward cutting Paul's arm. Blood trickled from the torn jacket onto the ground, but Paul ignored the pain. He rolled around behind Carl and gave another series of punches. Carl stumbled forward a little bit; he was getting close to the edge. Paul could now see the crowd below him gasping at the fight taking place before them. Carl swung the blade around at Paul again, but the young prince managed to dodge it just in time.

Carl swung the blade faster and more frequently causing Paul to lose his balance. He fell on his back; leaving him vulnerable to Carl's attacks. Carl leaped forward and aimed the knife straight at Paul's chest. The young prince was quick, and rolled over to avoid the attack, but he didn't realize until it was too late that he had rolled of the edge of the roof. Luckily, Paul managed to grab ahold of the edge with one hand. The crowd down below was let out a loud gasp as they saw Paul hanging from the ledge. Paul brought his other hand up to the ledge to steady himself; only to be met with the cold eyes of Carl Blaffler.

"Looks like it's the end of the road for you," he sneered. Carl lifted his foot, ready to stomp on Paul's fingers, and send him to his death. Paul quickly shimmied along the roof avoiding Carl's attacks. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever, sooner or later he would have to fight back. As Paul continued to shimmy along the roof, he came across a gutter which had something shiny in it. As he looked closer, he saw that it was his pistol that he had earlier. Not wasting a second, Paul reached out and grabbed the pistol. He aimed it straight at Carl's chest and fired three rounds. Carl gurgled as the third shot went right through his chest. He looked down and saw large amounts of blood dripping onto the roof. He stumbled back a few feet, clutching the wounds on his chest, before finally collapsing. Paul pulled himself back onto the roof, and quickly went over to check on Princess Anna. Fortunately, she didn't have a scratch on her. After cutting the ropes which bound her hands and feet together, Anna leapt into Paul's arms; tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you so much," Paul" she whimpered. Paul held onto Anna tight; rubbing a hand gently down her back in an effort to calm her.

"It's alright, Anna. He's gone. He's not going to hurt you anymore."

No sooner did Paul say those words, did Carl start to move around again. Anna screamed when she saw him try and lift his head. "Stay here, I'll take care of this," Paul ordered. He picked up his pistol and walked over to where Carl was struggling to sit up. He aimed the pistol at his head. Carl looked up at him. "He said you wouldn't put up a fight," he mumbled.

"What are you talking about? Who said that?" Paul demanded. He pointed the pistol closer at Carl's head, growing angrier by the second. "What do you mean goddammit?" But it was too late Carl fell back onto the roof one last time. His time on this earth had finally come to an end. Paul was perplexed at the serial killer's statement. Who is he? He wondered. And why did he kidnap Princess Anna? He would worry about that later. Right now, he needed to get Anna back to her sister. Paul and Anna made their down from the roof through the store. When they emerged, they were met with a wave of applause; everyone was happy to see that both were still alive. Elsa dashed through the crowd and nearly tackled Anna with a powerful hug; she was still crying heavily. "Thank God, you're alright," she muttered through sobbing tears.

"What about Blaffler?" a man from the crowd asked.

"He's dead," Paul said simply. "I killed him." The crowd gasped at the revelation; Prince Paul of Urvea had actually killed a man, and not just any man, the most infamous serial killer of all time.

"Where's the body?" asked one of the soldiers.

"Still up on the roof," Paul replied. The man signaled two other soldiers to follow him, and together they went up to the roof to retrieve the body. The crowd dispersed soon afterward, but not before congratulating Paul on his heroic deed. Not only had he saved someone's life; he had delivered justice to all of Urvea.

The realization of what he just did began to sink in. Paul stumbled as he walked down the street. Elsa saw his condition, and she and Anna quickly ran to side to help him steady himself.

"We got you, Paul," Elsa reassured. "It's OK."

"No it's not," Paul mumbled. "I just killed a man. I think I'm going to be sick."

"You had too, Paul," Anna said, trying to convince him that what he did was right. "He was trying to kill you, and he would have killed me too."

"She's right, Paul. It was done in self-defense. Besides, that man was a cold-blooded killer. He didn't deserve to live," Elsa said.

Paul began to feel a little better at the two sister's words. It was true that Carl Blaffler was a monster, and the streets of Urvea would certainly be safer with him gone. The three made their way back to the castle where they were met by Paul's family. Paul explained the events of the evening, and what he ultimately had to do in order to save himself and Princess Anna. The family gasped as he told everything that happened. Even Aaron looked impressed as Paul recanted his tale.

"I hated to do it. But I had no other choice," Paul admitted.

"Son, you did the right thing. You stopped a murderer, and for that you should be commended, not criticized," King Alan said. "But enough of that. We'll talk about it more in the morning. Right now what we all need is a good night's rest."

Everyone then departed to their rooms. Even though Paul was tired, he found that he couldn't sleep. The events of the evening played in his head over and over again. He saw Anna tied up, Carl holding a knife to his throat, the look on Carl's face after he shot him three times. It was all so sickeningly real. He laid his head back on the pillow, and closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was erase this evening from his mind forever. As he finally started to slip into a deep slumber, he heard a knock at his door. Who could that be at this hour? He got up and opened the door. There Queen Elsa stood; a small smile on her face. "May I come in?" she asked politely.

Ignoring what had transpired between them earlier that evening, Paul welcomed Elsa inside and gestured her to sit beside him on the bed. For a few minutes, the two were quiet; barely making eye contact with each other. Elsa was the one to break the silence.

"Paul, I can't tell you how thankful I am for what you did this evening," she said softly, tears emerging from her eyes. "I love my sister so very much, and tonight I thought I was going to lose her. I went through that pain before not too long ago, and I hoped that it would never return again, but it did. She stopped speaking for a moment to take the time to wipe her tears away.

"If you hadn't been there this evening, Anna might be dead right now. Thank you, Paul. Thank you, thank you, and thank you."

She leapt forward onto Paul pushing him down onto the bed. Her lips met his, and the two began to kiss. Elsa's reaction struck Paul like a bolt of lightning; he had trouble understanding what exactly was going on at the moment, but he didn't care. He focused on the present, which was Elsa and him kissing. Elsa lifted her head, and placed her hands on Paul's cheeks. The two looked into each other's eyes: seeing each other's reflection in their pupils. Paul smiled, and Elsa smiled in return. Paul then leaned forward and kissed Elsa again on the lips. Her lips were cold, but not in a bad way. It was like kissing an icicle, but one with a hint of strawberry lip gloss. Paul reached out a hand and ran it through Elsa's hair. God she was so beautiful.

"I love you, Elsa!" Paul whispered.

Knowing she couldn't suppress her feelings any long, Elsa unleashed them. "I love you too, Paul. So very, very much." The two scooted under the covers, and held each other close. Elsa laid her head on Paul's chest listening to his heartbeat; its rhythm soothing her. Paul gently ran his fingers through Elsa's long blonde hair; he almost couldn't believe it. He was holding the woman he wanted for so long in his arms. Elsa opened her eyes and looked up at Paul; the latter smiling back. Elsa smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight," she whispered. "Goodnight," Paul replied. Elsa rested her head again on Paul's chest, and went to sleep, all the while smiling contently.

* * *

**There you have it! They're in love with each other! I'd like to give a shout out to Shawn Raven who came up with the name for the ship between Paul and Elsa: Pelsa. That's pretty neat, and it's officially cannon. But questions still remain. What did Carl Blaffler mean by his final statement? Where do Paul and Elsa go from here? Stay tuned. **

**Please Review!**


	11. Making it Official

Chapter 11:

Making it Official

* * *

When Elsa woke the next morning, she saw that Paul was no longer sleeping next to her. She looked around the room and saw that she was the only one there. Elsa was disappointed by this. She had hoped to see Paul when she woke, but he wasn't there. Just then, the door swung open and Paul stepped in carrying a tray of food.

"Good morning," he said happily.

Elsa smiled. "Good morning, Paul."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, actually. I think I had the best night sleep in weeks," Elsa said, stretching her arms.

"I brought you breakfast," Paul said, placing the tray in front of her.

"Oh that's so sweet of you," Elsa said. Paul had brought her up a meal consisting of bacon, eggs, and various fruits, along with a glass of milk. Elsa picked up a fork and began to eat. She was almost finished with her eggs when she noticed that Paul wasn't eating. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked.

"I already ate, thank you," Paul explained. He leaned forward and gave Elsa a kiss on the cheek; she smiled in return.

"So I guess it's official now," Elsa said.

"I guess so," Paul said.

"What are you going to tell, Aaron? Elsa asked, thinking about the older brother who was no doubt still in love with her.

"Tell him the truth," Paul shrugged. "He's a grown man, he can take it."

"Yes, but learning that the woman you love is love with your younger brother isn't something that people would take lightly."

Paul sighed. He knew she was right. Aaron would probably try to roast him alive the minute he learned the truth about him and Elsa. But it had to be done nonetheless.

Elsa pushed her tray away, and leaned into Paul's shoulder. "I guess now the council will get off my back," she laughed. "Now that I've finally found the king of Arendelle.

The words hit Paul straight to the heart. Him; standing beside Elsa as the king of Arendelle. It was like the fairy tales his mother used to read to him as a child. As much as the thought of being king intrigued him, he cared more about the real prize: Elsa. He loved her so much he could scream. To know that not only did she love him in return, but she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, was nothing short of euphoric.

Elsa placed her hands on Paul's cheeks, and turned his head towards her. She kissed his lips gently; closing her eyes in the process, and basking in the moment. Paul wrapped his arms around her delicate body and pulled her closer to him. He could smell the faint traces of the perfume she wore the night before on her neck. It smelled of rosemary and cherry blossom, such a pleasant scent. He pulled her down back on the bed while the two continued to kiss. Paul moved his hand toward his waist, and started to take off his belt, but Elsa was quick to notice, and stopped him.

"Paul wait," she said. "We're not married yet."

Paul smiled. He knew she was right. "You're right. I'm rushing things. I apologize.

"Don't be sorry," Elsa said. "I would love to go further, just not right now."

Elsa slid off the bed and opened the door to Paul's room. Before leaving she turned around to face Paul.

"Thank you again for saving Anna's life," she said.

"You're welcome. I was only doing what was right."

"You're a brave man, Paul Clayworth."

"Like I said, I was only doing what was right."

He thought back to the previous evening, and what Carl had said before he died. "He said you wouldn't put up a fight." What did that mean? Who is he? Was Carl sent after him? If so then why did he need to threaten Anna's life in the process? Paul thought about telling Elsa about it, but decided not to. After a traumatic evening like that, she would probably want to put this whole thing behind her. After saying their goodbyes, Paul went and changed into a new set of clothes. He then went downstairs and met up with his father in his study. The two talked briefly about Paul's heroic deed, and then began to discuss the railroad preparations. King Alan showed Paul his blueprints of where he wanted the railway to go. He also showed him a list of some of the best engineers in all of Europe. "I've already written letters to five of them," he explained. "Now we just have to wait and see if they agree to do the job."

"In the meantime, see if you can hire any workers here in Urvea. This is a huge job and we'll need all the help we can get," King Alan said. "Oh and one more thing. He reached into his desk and pulled out several pieces of parchment. "If you didn't know already, for the past decade we've had a long struggle for the territory where I want to place the railway line. Several railroad committees in cities like Düsseldorf, Cologne and Aachen, have all wanted to build a railway line there as well. I've been trying to find a solution for some time now, but I can't seem to think of anything."

"Why don't we all contribute to building the railway," Paul suggested. "Then once it's finished, the cities can have access to it anytime they want. It doesn't just have be an Urvea railway line. We may own it, but they can use it. Plus, it might even improve trade."

King Alan smiled. His son was a genius. "Paul, that's it! He said. Haha. I knew I put the right man in charge. I'm so glad Queen Elsa suggested you."

Paul smiled. It was nice seeing his father happy over something he did for a change. Usually it was Aaron getting all the praise.

"Now, why don't you head into town and try to find us some men. The more we have, the better."

Paul agreed, and left his father's study and headed into town. However, he wasn't going to look for men to hire. As much as he wanted to help his father with the construction of the railway line, he had other important matters to attend too. Like finding out about why Carl targeted Princess Anna and him.

Paul knew that Carl Blaffler often associated with people on the East Side, particularly the local criminals. With the help of the Urvea police, Paul learned that Carl often spent time with a man named Bruno Armbruster. Bruno had been an accomplice in several of the murders Carl had committed. He was tried, but acquitted due to lack of evidence. Since then he had been living on the streets in Urvea. If anyone knew all about Carl Blaffler, it was Bruno.

Paul walked down the street leading to the East Side. As he walked, he was met with the eyes of dozens of vagabonds, eyeing him like a piece of candy. He ignored their stares, and turned down an alleyway where he saw a small group of men hanging playing cards. They looked up as soon as Paul spoke.

"I'm looking for Bruno Armbruster," he stated firmly.

One of the men put down his cards, and stood up. He spat on the ground, and walked towards Paul.

"Who wants to know?" the man asked.

"I'm Prince Paul of Urvea if you didn't know. By now I'm assuming you've heard about the death of Carl Blaffler.

"Yeah, and how you killed him," the man said.

"So I take it you're Bruno?"

The man nodded.

"Yes, I brought your friend's reign of terror to an end. He can never harm anyone again."

The rest of the men stood up and walked towards Bruno, their eyes glaring angrily at Paul.

"You made a big mistake, Princy," Bruno said. "Two mistakes actually."

"One for killing my friend, and two for showing your royal ass around here." Bruno pulled a knife from his pocket and swing it towards Paul. But the young prince was quick, he knew that Bruno would try something like this. He grabbed the hand which held the knife, and kicked Bruno as hard as he could in the gut, sending him flat on his back. The other men moved in with their own knives ready to take on Paul. The young prince quickly pulled a revolver from his blazer pocket and pointed it at them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned. Paul had brought the gun along with him in case of something like this, and he was glad that he did.

The men dropped their knives, and ran away, leaving Bruno alone defenseless on the floor. Paul pointed the gun toward him. "Now, Mr. Armbruster. I'm going to ask you a few questions and you're gun answer them."

"Fuck you, prince, I ain't scared of you or you're stupid gun."

Paul smiled and fired a round right at Bruno's feet. The criminal flinched in response. He didn't expect Paul to do that.

"That's a .36 caliber round," Paul explained. "If one of those hit your body, you would be in a world of pain."

"Now, as I was saying; you're going to answer some questions."

"Why did Carl kidnap Princess Anna?"

"He was trying to lure someone to him," Bruno stammered.

"Who?"

"You!"

Paul looked surprised. Carl was really after him; he was just using Anna as bait.

"Why did he want me?" Paul demanded.

"He didn't. Somebody else paid him to get rid of you."

"Who? Why did they want to get rid of me?"

Bruno started to laugh; a wicked like smile growing across his face.

"I'm done talking," Bruno said. "Go ahead put it a bullet in my head, I don't care. I'd rather die than be a snitch."

Paul knew he wasn't joking. Bruno was truly willing to die to protect whoever it was that hired Carl to kill him. But Paul wasn't going to give into his demands; he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Besides, killing one man was enough for one lifetime. Paul stood up and put the revolver back into his pocket, and quietly walked away.

* * *

When he returned several hours later, Paul kept to himself. He didn't say a word to anyone about what he had really been doing that day. The last thing they needed to know was that Urvea's prince was running around pointing guns at people demanding answers. Paul sat in his room playing his guitar, trying to get his mind off of things. There had to be some way to get the information out of Bruno, but how? The man wasn't even afraid of death. As he played a tune he had written a few years ago, Elsa entered the room. Paul looked up, and stopped playing.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," Paul replied.

"You're father said you were in town all day looking for men to hire for the railway line project. Any luck?"

"Define luck," Paul retorted, a strong hint of disappointment in his voice.

Elsa was quick to notice this. A look of concern grew on her face as she sat down on the bed beside him. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Paul, what's wrong?" she asked.

Paul remained silent for a minute; debating on whether or not to tell Elsa. If there was anyone he could trust with something like this it was her. He decided to tell her.

"Last night, just before Carl died, he said something that has given me reason to believe that someone put him up to this."

Elsa's eyes widened. "You mean…like an assassin?"

"Yes. But he wasn't after Anna. He was just using her as bait. The real target was me."

"You? Why did he want you? I thought he only preyed on women," Elsa exclaimed, shocked at what she was hearing.

"He said that someone told him that I wouldn't fight back," Paul said. "Who that someone is I don't know, that's what I'm trying to find out. I went into town today yes, but I didn't go looking for workers. I went to find a man named Bruno Armbruster who had a close relationship with Carl. I figured if anyone knew anything about Carl, it was him. Well, long story short, I threatened him with a gun, and demanded him to tell me who it was who hired Carl to kidnap Anna, and lure me to the roof. But he refused to tell me. Even with a gun in his face, the bastard wouldn't talk. I knew that I was wasting my time. Still, I have to know. There's got to be some way to get Bruno to talk. But how?"

Elsa sat still for a minute, pondering over what Paul had just told her. Someone was trying to kill him, and they used her own sister as part of their diabolical scheme. Who would do such a thing? More to the point, who hated Paul so much that he wanted him dead? Elsa scooted closer to Paul, and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Paul, I know you're worried about this, but don't worry. We'll figure this out. Tomorrow before I leave for Arendelle, we'll go to the police and…"

"The police won't be able to help either, Elsa," Paul said, cutting her off. "The man doesn't respond to ideal threats. You should have seen him. I had a gun pointed right in his face, and he was still resistant. There's nothing we can do now."

Elsa could tell that Paul was really stressed about this, and quite frankly she was too. Whoever put her sister in harm's way was someone she had bone to pick with. Paul may have given up trying, but Elsa wasn't going to do the same. For now however, she took the time to comfort Paul.

"As I said, tomorrow I'm leaving for Arendelle," she said. "And you're coming with me."

Paul turned and looked at her; a confused look on his face. "What? Elsa I need to stay here and work on the railway project."

"Leave Aaron in charge of that. Tomorrow morning, you and I are going to announce our love together. As soon as we get back to Arendelle, we're going to get married. Then, you'll take you're rightful place beside me as king of Arendelle."

"Elsa, do you mean it? You…want to marry me?" Paul asked disbelievingly.

"I've been denying this for too long now, Paul," Elsa said, smiling brightly. "But I can't deny it anymore. I love you, and I know for a fact that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

If Paul hadn't been holding onto the bedpost at the time, he would have fallen straight to the floor. Elsa, the Snow Queen of Arendelle wanted him as her husband.

"Elsa, I want that more than anything, but…I haven't even proposed," he said.

Elsa waved it off. "I don't need a ring, Paul. All I want is a nice wedding where the two of us can say our vows, get married. and reign together as king ans queen."

"I don't know if I'm king material," Paul admitted.

"Paul, you are without a doubt one the most qualified to be king. You're smart, kind, patient, and if I must say, a damn good looking man."

Paul's eyes widened. He had never heard the queen talk like this before.

"Well, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. What do you say we take this time to celebrate our engagement," Paul said smiling.

Elsa smiled in return; "I'd like that very much…King Paul of Arendelle."

* * *

**Yes, more romance between Paul and Elsa. I enjoy writing scenes like this. I also like writing Paul as a total badass. He may be a down to earth person in general, but he's not afraid to stand his ground when the time calls for it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Big stuff is coming in the future!**

**By the way, the gun Paul was using was a Colt Patterson revolver. Just like the Hawken rifles, King Allan had them imported from the United States. **

**Please Review!**


	12. Crossfire

Chapter 12

Crossfire

**This is the last chapter that has any that is more or less happy. The next chapter will be much darker, and it will continue to go that direction for the remainder of the story.**

* * *

Late that evening, after Elsa was sure Paul was asleep, she crept out of the castle, and headed into town. She had a cloak with a hood on over top her dress. If there were any townsfolk out and about, she didn't want them to recognize her. Elsa turned down the same alleyway Paul had been done earlier that day. Just as before, there were a group of men there, this time they huddled around a fire. Elsa cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," she said, using the term gentlemen: loosely. "I'm looking for a Bruno Armbruster. You wouldn't happen to know where I might find him, would you?"

The men started to laugh: it was one thing to get a guy coming around here looking for someone, but a woman was another story.

Bruno stepped out of the shadows, and walked towards Elsa. "I'm Bruno," he said. "What's a pretty lady like yourself doing in a place like this?"

Elsa smiled. He obviously hadn't figured out who she was yet. "I'm here to ask you a few questions," she stated firmly.

Bruno laughed. "Not this shit again. I've already had more than enough interrogation for one day. Beat it, bitch."

Bruno turned around and walked toward the fire. But before he could take another step, he felt a sharp, cold sting race up his legs. He tried to move, but found that he couldn't. When he looked down, he saw that his feet were frozen to the ground in ice. The rest of the men ran away in fear, but Elsa didn't stop them; she had the man she wanted.

"What the hell?" he cried, trying to pick away at the ice at his feet. "What did you do to me?"

"Like I said Mr. Armbruster, you're going to answer some questions," Elsa said. She stepped closer towards the criminal, and pulled down her hood revealing who she was.

"You…you're the Snow Queen!" Bruno cried. What do you want?"

"I want you to tell me who hired Carl Blaffler to kidnap my sister?" Elsa demanded.

"You're wasting your time lady. I ain't no snitch," Bruno snarled. Elsa grew impatient, and summoned a large icicle from the ground. It came closer and closer until the tip was inches away from Bruno's throat. Still, the man showed no fear.

"Go ahead and do it, bitch!" he yelled. "I'd rather die than tell you the truth."

"Die? Oh no, no, no, Mr. Armbruster. I have no intention on killing you whatsoever. However, if you continue to deny me what I want, I will send that icicle straight through your throat. It won't kill you… at least not right away. You see, impalement is a very long, and painful way to die. Did you know that sometimes people survive for days at a time while impaled? I once heard of a man who lasted an entire week! Can you imagine that? Having a sharp object protruding straight through the body, and one having to remain there standing still, experiencing excruciating amounts of pain until finally they die. What an awful way to go. Now unless you want to experience impalement firsthand, you better answer my questions."

Tears were falling from Bruno's eyes as he looked at the icicle inches away from being plunged into his throat; he didn't want to die that way, not suffering at least. He complied with Elsa's order.

"What do you want to know?" he stammered.

"Who hired Carl Blaffler to kidnap my sister to lure Paul Clayworth?"

"Aaron…Aaron Clayworth. That's who Carl said it was. He said he paid him 100 gold pieces to get the job done."

Elsa froze in place; not physically, but metaphorically. It couldn't be true. Aaron may be a hothead, and he may not get along with his brother well, but he would never harm him. Bruno obviously wasn't telling the truth.

"You're lying, Bruno," she hissed. "I'll give you one last chance, and then I'm sending that icicle right through your throat!"

"Queen Elsa, I swear to God that's the truth. He told me himself," Bruno cried. The man was now going hysterical. "I promise you that's the truth. Aaron Clayworth wanted his brother Paul dead so he hired Carl to kill him. He was just using your sister as bait!"

Elsa still didn't believe it, but she knew that Bruno wasn't going to change his story. She melted the icicle and the ice which froze his feet together.

"Get out of here…now!" she hissed.

Bruno nodded, and quickly ran down the alleyway, almost tripping over himself in the process. Elsa stood still for a moment, pondering over what she had just learned. Aaron…Aaron sent Carl out to kidnap Anna to lure Paul and kill and him. No. That's absurd, and you know it, Elsa said to herself. Yet, she still couldn't help but wonder. Bruno seemed terrified the more she threatened him with the idea of impalement. The look in his eyes was one of pure fear; why would lie when he was literally inches from death? She thought about it during her walk back to the castle. By the time she got to her room, she was so tired she didn't even bother removing her dress and changing into her nightgown. Elsa collapsed on the bed, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Early the next morning, she heard a knock on the door. She assumed it was one of Urvea's servants.

"Yes, I know I'm requested down in the hall," she said, yawning. "Tell Prince Paul that I will down shortly."

"That won't be necessary ma'am, he just received the message," Paul said. It was him on the other side of the door. Elsa's eyes opened instantly. She ran and opened the door to let Paul in. The young prince was surprised to see her dressed already.

"Wow! You're quick!" he commented.

"Yes, just let me brush my hair and I'll be down."

Paul placed a hand on her cheek, and looked into her eyes. "Even with messy hair you're still the most beautiful woman in the whole world," he said.

Elsa smiled. "Thank you. Even so, I must look presentable for our announcement this morning."

Paul knew what she was talking about, and quite frankly he was very excited about it. He couldn't wait to see the look on his family's face when Elsa announced that they were getting married.

"Ok. I'll wait for you downstairs," he said, leaving Elsa alone in her room.

Elsa went over to the mirror to brush her hair. As she did so, her mind wandered back to the previous evening and what Bruno had told her. It can't be true," she muttered to herself. "No way, no how." Aaron is a gentleman, not a murderer. She thought about telling Paul what Bruno said, but she knew he wouldn't believe her. As much as Aaron bugged him, deep down Paul loved his brother dearly. He wouldn't buy it for one second.

* * *

When she arrived in the dining room, she saw Anna sitting next to King Alan and Queen Lilly, recounting the story of how Paul saved her life.

"There he was, ready to stomp on Paul's fingers and send him to his death, when Paul spotted his pistol in one of the gutters. He reached out, grabbed the pistol, and put a bullet in that bastard's heart!" Queen Lilly gasped, looking at her youngest son sitting on the other side of the table from her. She looked back to Anna as the princess continued the story. "Then he came and untied me. He saved my life. I can't even begin to thank him enough," she said, getting up and giving Paul a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm just glad you're alright, Princess Anna," Paul said. "I would never forgive myself if anything were to happen to you."

The moment he spotted Elsa, Paul stood up and greeted her. "Good morning, Your Majesty," he said. Upon seeing her, the rest of the family at the table did the same.

"Everything is all set for your journey back to Arendelle," King Alan said. "I figured that before you leave, you and your sister would have one last breakfast with us."

"That would lovely," Elsa said. She took a seat beside Paul who gave her a smile indicating that it was time for their big announcement. Elsa stood up, picked up her glass and lightly tapped on it. Everyone's attention instantly turned towards hers.

"If I could have everyone's attention please," she said, trying to contain the nervousness she felt.

"First of all, I want to thank King Alan and Queen Lilly for inviting us into their lovely home this weekend. We've had wonderful time, and it's a shame that we have to leave so soon. But before we do, there is something that I have to announce."

She gestured to Paul, indicating that he should stand up. When he did, Elsa continued her speech.

"As you already know, I have been looking for a suitor to take as my husband. For the longest time, I didn't know if I truly wanted that. After all, it was the council who really wanted me to take a husband. But then I met your sons. And let me be the first to say, that you have two of the most wonderful boys. It's a sheer pleasure to know them, and to have them in my life. They're both special in so many ways. But enough of that. What I'm trying to say is, that after spending much time with both of your sons, I have decided on who I want to rule beside me in Arendelle. Elsa gently took Paul's hand; and the two met each other's gaze.

"I have decided to take Paul Clayworth as my husband, and the new king of Arendelle."

There was shrill of loud gasps throughout the table. Anna had the biggest smile Elsa had ever seen. King Alan and Queen Lilly both sat with their mouths ajar; taking in what they just heard. Aaron stared straight at his brother; his face as red as blood. Elsa ignored his gaze, and looked at Paul, who gave her a reassuring smile. Finally, the silence was broken as Queen Lilly spoke.

"Congratulations you two," she said, giving them a round of applause. Upon seeing his wife's reaction, King Alan did the same, and soon Anna, and the servants were applauding loudly as well. The only person not congratulating the newly engaged couple was Aaron who had his eyes glaring at Paul. If looks could kill, Paul would certainly be dead at that moment. King Alan stood up and personally shook both Paul and Elsa's hand. He was clearly very happy.

"Such wonderful news," he said. "Well my boy, looks like you'll get the chance to rule a kingdom earlier than expected."

Queen Lilly came over and gave Paul and Elsa a hug. She looked at Paul with pride glowing in her eyes. "You're going to be an excellent king," she said. "Thank you, mom. I appreciate that," Paul said.

While the rest of the family was off congratulating Paul and Elsa, Aaron took the time to slip out undetected and headed into town. He went to the local mortuary, and paid the mortician several gold coins to leave him alone in the cold chamber. He walked over to the autopsy table where the body of Carl Blaffler lay. A white sheet covered most of his body except for his face. The mortician must have been beginning the embalming process. He looked over the serial killer with disgust. "Worthless piece of shit," he muttered. "If you want something done right, you got to do it yourself." He spat on the dead man's face, and stormed out of the building,

* * *

**Looks like Aaron has to change tactics. And he will do so in ways that will shock you. If you hate him now, just wait. You'll loathe his entire existence before too long. Thanks again for the reviews. I love reading them!**

**Please Review!**


	13. Darkness Rising

Chapter 13:

Darkness Rising

**This is where the darkness begins. Enjoy!**

* * *

Aaron made sure he was back in time to see Queen Elsa, and Princess Anna off. Not to his surprise, Paul was going with them. Perfect, he thought. With him out of the way, I can start phase one of my plan. The family gathered on the docks saying their goodbyes. When it was Aaron's turn to bid farewell, he put on a big smile and hugged his brother. "Congrats little bro," he said. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Aaron," Paul said, surprised by how his brother was acting. Aaron then turned to Elsa and bowed to her. "Farwell Queen Elsa. Until we meet again."

Bruno's words still on her mind, Elsa fought the urge to spill what she had learned. She smiled and curtsied in return. "Farewell Prince Aaron," she said simply. The three then boarded the ship, and began their journey back to Arendelle. When the ship was out of sight, King Alan and Queen Lilly returned to the palace, leaving Aaron alone on the dock. "Just wait, Queen Elsa. You'll be mine soon enough," he whispered softly.

* * *

When they had arrived in Arendelle, Kristoff and Olaf met them at the harbor. Anna was overjoyed to see her boyfriend again; she had missed him these past few days. She told him all about her time in Urvea and her encounter with Carl Blaffler.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" he cried.

"Relax, I'm fine. Paul here saved me," she said, gesturing to the young prince. Kristoff saw Paul as he walked over towards them. The ice harvester shook his hand.

"I can't tell you how much that means to me," he said.

"As I told Elsa and Anna, I was only doing what was right," Paul said honestly.

"You're a good man, Paul. The world could use more people like you," Kristoff said.

"Thanks, Kristoff."

"Speaking of people like you, where is your brother?" Kristoff said, looking around trying to find Aaron.

"He's back in Urvea," Paul said. He saw Elsa walk towards him; he took her hand in his, and the two looked into each other's eyes.

"Then what are you doing…." Kristoff started to say before the realization hit him like a bolt out of the blue. He saw Paul and Elsa holding hands and looking at each other lovingly. He knew that look any day.

"You two…are together?" he said.

Elsa smiled. "We are indeed" she said.

"Well congratulations! Looks like we got ourselves a king of Arendelle," Kristoff said, giving Paul a pat on the back.

"Yeah, that fact is still taking a while to sink in," Paul admitted.

Kai came over to greet the two sisters as well as to give Elsa a message.

"Your Majesty, the council is waiting for you inside?" he said. "They want to discuss your marriage plans."

Elsa flashed Paul a quick smile. "Well, tell them that WE'RE on our way."

"What do you mean we?" Paul asked confused.

"You're my fiancée, Paul. You'll be taking part in all of my meetings from now on. Besides, this meeting is about my upcoming marriage. So it would only make sense for you to be in attendance."

"Well, let's do it!" Paul said.

Elsa and Paul went to the chamber where council was waiting. Upon entering the large room, Paul was surprised by the large number of people seated at the table. There must have been over forty people! Elsa took her usual seat at the far end of the table; Paul sat beside her. Paul looked around at the councilmen as they stared at him, wondering why Prince Paul was taking a part of this meeting. Once everyone was settled, Elsa called to order.

"Head councilman, Stephen, you may begin," she said. A man seated at the opposite side of the table stood up and addressed everyone at the table.

"As you all know, we have been discussing Queen Elsa's betrothal for quite some time. Now that she has returned to us from Urvea we can continue our discussion. Queen Elsa, have you given any more consideration into a suitor?"

Elsa stood up, Paul doing the same. "I have Councilman Stephen. I have chosen Prince Paul of Urvea to be my husband, and to reign beside me as king of Arendelle."

The council all applauded as soon as Elsa finished speaking. They had been worried about her not choosing a suitor, and now their worries could cease.

"That's excellent Your Majesty! Congratulations to you both!" one councilman said.

"Thank you," Elsa and Paul said in unison.

After applauding the newly engaged, Stephen rapped for order.

"Now that the Queen is engaged, it's time we discuss preparations for the wedding," he said.

"Indeed. Paul and I were talking on the way home from Urvea. We decided that we would like a spring wedding. Preferably in four months" Elsa said.

The councilmen started to write down on pieces of parchment the Queen's demands for her wedding. She gave a list of the kingdoms she wanted them to invite, what songs the Arendelle orchestra should play, flowers to order, and more. The councilmen took note of every single detail even going as far to ask for the specifics such as what type of icing she wanted on the cake.

"Will you need to meet with the dressmaker, Your Majesty?" one councilman asked.

"That won't be necessary. I plan on making a new ice gown just for the occasion," Elsa said.

"Very well, and will the gentleman require a tailor-made tuxedo?"

"Yes" Paul said. "If you could have me fitted as well, that would be great."

"Will do, sir."

After discussions on the wedding were finished, the council turned to another matter at hand. There had been a robbery at the Arendelle National bank while Elsa was away. Two thieves disguised as security guards made off with 500 gold coins. So far, the police had no leads, and were waiting for Elsa's return to decide what to do.

"Interrogate as many people as you can," Elsa said. "See if anyone saw anything suspicious that evening. Someone might be able to give a good description of what the thieves looked like."

"In addition to that, I would have the police obtain to search warrants to search people's houses. You never know what you might find" Paul suggested.

The room felt silent. The councilmen turned their attention to Paul; looking at him like he was a bug they were going to squash.

"With all do respect, Prince Paul, you're not the one in charge of this kingdom. Moreover, this in an Arendelle concern. Therefore,...

"Paul is my fiancée, and the future king of Arendelle. He has as much say in these matters as I do, Stephen. Is that clear?" Elsa said cutting off the head councilman.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Stephen acquiesced.

"Well gentlemen, if there is nothing more you wish to discuss with me, I will be taking my leave now," Elsa said, standing up. "You are dismissed."

Paul followed Elsa out of the room, and into her private study. He took a seat beside her at her desk and watched as she opened one of the letters that had been left for her.

"I…I appreciate you standing up for me back there," Paul said.

"Not a problem. Those councilmen better show the future king of Arendelle the proper treatment if they know what's good for them."

Paul laughed. He liked seeing the bold side of Elsa. "Anything interesting?" he asked, watching Elsa read over one of her letters.

"Nah. Just some stuff about trade embargos," Elsa said, putting the letter down. "Well, we have the rest of the day to ourselves, what would you like to do?"

"Don't you duties to attend too?" Paul asked.

"I just got back, Paul, give me a break!"

"Well…I kinda always wanted to learn how to ice skate," Paul said.

Elsa flashed him a sly smile. "That my dear, can be arranged."

For the next few days, Paul got used to life in Arendelle. He attended daily meetings with Elsa, went to various public engagements, answered letters, and met with many ambassadors. Elsa was glad that Paul was here to help her out with her duties. Before Paul was here, there were days when she felt so overwhelmed she could scream. But with her fiancée by her side, the days seemed easier than ever before. The two also set aside plenty of time to spend with each other. Those were the times when Paul really enjoyed his new position. One on one time with the woman he loved never ceased to amaze him. Every day with Elsa was an adventure. He found it hard to believe that just over a year ago she had spent nearly half of her life locked away. Now here she was interacting with the people of Arendelle as if she were their best friend. Even though the wedding was still months away, Paul and Elsa couldn't be more excited. Everyday Elsa would come up with new ideas for the occasion. Some were so big, Paul could have sworn she had lost her mind. But he loved it just the same. Seeing her happy made him happy, and that was the best feeling in the world.

* * *

Back in Urvea, things were going according to plan for Aaron. He father had entrusted him in the construction of the railway line now that Paul was away. It was the perfect cover-up to hide behind, while Aaron worked out his real plan: Seizing control of the Urvea kingdom. Late one evening, Aaron offered his mother and father to take a walk with him. He told them that he had a surprise for them in one of the sheds near the stables. He opened the large door, and the royal couple walked in. As soon as they were inside, Aaron locked the door from behind. He stepped a few feet backward, and waved his hands in the air. In an instant, the shed was ablaze. Aaron could hear his parents screaming for help inside as the fire spread. Aaron stood back and admired his work; in a few minutes they would be burnt to a crisp, and he would be the new king of Urvea.

As much as he wanted to witness their demise, he knew he couldn't stick around for long. The guards would notice the fire any minute; if they hadn't already. He quickly made his way back to the palace, and pretended to be asleep. By the time the guards had extinguished the fire, the shed was completely destroyed. Inside, they found the burnt remains of King Alan and Queen Lilly; only recognizable by what remained of their crowns. A busted up lantern was nearby; the police and the guards assumed that it had fallen over and started the fire. The king and queen must have accidently locked themselves inside. Everyone knew that this shed was a popular place for the royal couple to meet when they were young, so no questions were asked as to why they were out there so late at night.

Early the next morning, Aaron feigned the perfect amount of sorrow when he heard that his parents had perished in the fire. The advisers were quick to inform him that he was now the King of Urvea, and his coronation ceremony was to take place after the funeral. The rest of the day Aaron met with many people, all of which gave him their condolences. Aaron had instructed one of the servants to write a letter to Paul telling him what had happened. Once he was alone that evening, Aaron stood in the portrait room where the large painting of his mother and father had been covered up by curtains. He grinned wickedly. "Like lambs to the slaughter," he said.

* * *

**Pretty sick, huh? Murdering your own parents. What an awful way to die too. Now that Aaron has control of the kingdom of Urvea, what's his next move? What does he have planned for Paul and Elsa?**

**Please Review!**


	14. Suspicions Confirmed

Chapter 14:

Suspicions Confirmed

**The darkness continues. This is the darkest chapter yet. Enjoy!**

* * *

Aaron's letter arrived a few days later. Paul and Elsa were eating breakfast when Kai came and delivered it. It had already started out to be a good morning, but was unfortunately about to take a turn for the worst. Paul opened the letter and read it over. He got halfway through when he dropped the letter onto the floor, and started crying.

"Paul, what's the matter?" Elsa, said running to her fiancee's side

"My parents are….dead," he whimpered.

Elsa gasped and put a hand over her mouth; icy tears began to welt in her own eyes as she thought of King Alan and Queen Lilly. They were so kind, and so generous, she had only known them for a little while, and now they were gone. Elsa wrapped her arms around Paul in an attempt to comfort him. The young prince sobbed heavily into Elsa's dress. The Snow Queen did the same; she remembered vividly the day she found out that her parents had perished at sea. Oh what a terrible feeling it was. And it was even more terrible that she didn't attend their funeral because she was scared of hurting someone with her powers. She wasn't going to do that this time. Dead or alive, they were her future in-laws, and she was going to show them the respect they deserve.

"What happened?" she asked, finally summoning the courage to speak.

"They were in the shed they used to play in together as kids when a fire broke out. A lantern fell from one of rafters, setting the whole place ablaze. They tried to get out, but they accidentally locked themselves in. God, what an awful way to die."

A sharp pain struck Elsa's heart. The second Paul mentioned the word fire, she instantly thought of Aaron. Would he…no he would never do that, but then she remembered what Bruno had told her about Aaron being the one who sent Carl to kidnap Anna. She still had her doubts up to this point, but her suspicions began to grow with this new information. Aaron did seem very jealous of her and Paul's engagement, but what could would killing his parents do to stop it? The only thing he would gain from that is inheriting the crown earlier than expected. Was Aaron so heartless that he'd murder his own parents just for the crown? It was a sick thought, but a plausible one nonetheless. She knew she had to tell Paul about what Bruno had told her, and how she suspected Aaron's involvement in their parent's death.

"Paul, I need to tell you something," Elsa said.

"Not now, Elsa. I think I need to be alone for a while," he said, getting up from the table.

"But Paul this is important!" Elsa pleaded.

"Not now I said!" Paul roared. He excited the dining hall, leaving Elsa alone with her thoughts. Despite her suspicions of Aaron being the cause of the fire, she still gave him the benefit of the doubt. After all, a fallen lantern is a logical explanation for the cause of a fire, right?

* * *

Paul and Elsa left for Urvea the next day to attend the funeral. The whole journey there, Paul didn't speak to Elsa; still distraught over the loss of his parents. Elsa understood, and gave him as much time as he needed to be alone. As they grew closer to Urvea, Elsa was once again plagued with thoughts about Aaron. Part of her believed that he killed his parents, but another part of her doubted it. Aaron may be a hothead, but he would never hurt anyone," she said. But Bruno's words always came back to her; about Aaron's involvement with Carl Blaffler. The criminal looked so serious that night as she held an icicle to his throat, what would he have to gain from lying to her?

Aaron met them at the docks. He hugged Paul as soon as he saw him, and the two shared a tearful moment together. Elsa noticed that Aaron looked just as distraught as Paul, and was crying so heavily that he had to wipe his eyes several times. Maybe I'm just jumping to sick conclusions she thought, watching the two brothers embrace. Maybe Bruno's words and Aaron's ability to control fire are playing tricks on my mind. Maybe.

The funeral was a dreary affair to say the least. People from all over Urvea spoke of the kindness of King Alan and Queen Lilly, and how their reign was one that would go down in history. Paul took the stand and gave a heartfelt eluegy he had written on the ship ride to Ureva. As he spoke, Elsa cried. She could see how much Paul loved his parents, and how much they meant to him. Losing a loved one is never easy, but to lose two at once is truly devastating. Aaron also took the stand, but his eulogy was much different than his brother's. Aaron went on mostly about himself, and how he planned to continue the Urvean traditions and rule in ways superior to his predecessors. Frankly Elsa found the speech to be rather selfish, but maybe Aaron was just trying to look strong for the people of Urvea. After all, he was their new king.

Not long after the funeral service, the coronation ceremony began. Paul stood by his brother in the cathedral as Aaron was crowned king of Urvea. He was given a gold crown with rare jewels embedded into it as well as a new set of robes that were once his father's. The ceremony reminded Elsa of her own coronation ceremony a year ago; she remembered how nervous she was that day, fearing that her powers would be revealed. Unfortunately, that fear came true. However, everyone in the kingdom of Urvea already knew about Aaron's abilities; there was no need for him to worry. If only Elsa could have his level of confidence.

After the ceremony, Elsa mingled with the crowd for a little while, expressing her condolences to everyone who was close to King Alan and Queen Lilly. Paul was still avoiding her like the plague, which troubled her deeply. She knew that it must have been really hard for him, but she knew from experience that keeping something buddled up for so long wasn't healthy; it only made you sick. Once she finished talking with the Urvea palace chef, she wandered into the portrait room nearby. All around her were the portraits of the many kings and queens of Urvea throughout the years. Each looked proud and fearless like they were born to lead. At the far end of the room, Elsa saw the portrait of King Alan and Queen Lilly. Unlike the other portraits which appeared to be bold, the former king and queen's picture was one of a more loving nature. The two held hands together and smiled down at Elsa. The longer she stared at it, the sadder she felt. Urvea had truly lost an honorable king and queen.

As she stared at the portrait, she heard footsteps from behind her. She turned around to see Aaron walking towards her.

"They're currently in the process of painting my portrait," he said. "It should be finished by tomorrow morning."

Elsa didn't respond; her mind was still focused on King Alan and Queen Lilly as she continued to stare at their portrait. Aaron noticed, and stood beside her looking at the portrait himself.

"Look at them; such happy go lucky fools," he said. "They ruled this kingdom with a smile and not an iron fist, which is why so many people took advantage of them."

Elsa was appalled at Aaron's words. How could he say something like that so soon after their deaths?

"Aaron, I'm ashamed at you," she said sternly. "Your mother and father were excellent rulers, and to hear you talk about them like that is disgusting."

"Whatever. They're dead now; it's not like they can hear me," he scoffed.

Elsa felt another sharp pain at her heart; Bruno's words and her suspicions returned.

Aaron moved closer to Elsa; so close that Elsa could feel his warm breath breathing down her neck.

"Have you ever kissed a real king before?" he whispered.

Before Elsa could answer, Aaron spun her around and forced his lips onto hers. Elsa tried to pull away, but Aaron's grip tightened with every attempt she made. He lifted his left hand and placed it on one of her breasts, moaning as he rubbed his hand up and down her chest. Finally, Elsa managed to squirm away, and broke free of his grasp. As soon as she did, she slapped Aaron as hard as she could; leaving an icy mark which quickly melted.

"Aaron, what the hell are you thinking? I'm engaged to Paul!" she cried.

"So what," he quipped. "Engaged ain't married."

He began to move closer to Elsa, but the Snow Queen was ready for him this time; she shot a blast of ice from her hands freezing Aaron's feet to the floor. Elsa then took the chance, and ran out of the room. There was no denying it now: Aaron had murdered his parents so he could take control of the throne, and he was using his status as king to try to win Elsa. Aaron was a dangerous man; he had to be stopped. Elsa raced upstairs to Paul's room, hoping beyond hope that he was there. She threw open the door, and saw her fiancée sitting on the bed playing his guitar. He was still crying heavily.

"Elsa, I really need to be alone for a while," he started to say. Elsa slammed the door; sealing it with ice so that no one could get in. She ran to Paul's side and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Paul, there's something you need to know!" she said, hysterically.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Aaron murdered your parents," Elsa said firmly.

"What kind of sick joke are you trying to pull, Elsa? I don't know what you're thinking, but it sure as hell isn't funny," Paul snapped.

"Paul, listen to me, I'm telling you what I think is the truth. Last week, one evening I went out into town to interrogate Bruno Armbruster, Carl's friend. He told me that Aaron hired Carl to kidnap Anna and lure you to him so he could kill you. I doubted what he said for so long; thinking there was no way Aaron would ever harm somebody, but his words kept haunting me. Then, we get the news that your parents died in a fire. A fire! I thought of Aaron and his magical abilities, and how he would inherit the throne if they died. I suspected him then of starting the fire, but still I was foolish enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. I fell for his little tear show at the funeral today. Boy, did it work like a charm. After the coronation, I came into the portrait room to look around. Aaron then came in and started talking trash about his parents. When I scolded him for his words, he shrugged them off as if it were no big deal, and then he…. He…

"He what?" Paul asked, grabbing hold of Elsa.

Elsa's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Paul. The words struggling to get out. "He forced himself onto me, and….touched me," she said, gesturing to her chest.

Paul looked at his fiancée as she wrapped her arms around him and sobbed heavily; Ice began to form all around the room; a strong indication that Elsa was very upset. He knew that she wouldn't be this distraught if what she said hadn't been true. Paul pulled Elsa closer to him, and placed a kiss on her head. That son of bitch had murdered his parents, and touched the woman he loved. Aaron was going to suffer.

Paul began to see steam coming from the door, and watched as Elsa's ice melted right before his eyes. The Snow Queen turned her head towards the door as well. When she did, she started to cower in fear; she knew who was coming. "It's Aaron!" she cried.

The door quickly caught fire, and burned to a crisp in seconds. After it had melted, Paul and Elsa saw Aaron on the other side of the door grinning wickedly.

"Well done, Elsa," he said, stepping into the room. "You really did your homework. I'm impressed by how well rehearsed your little speech was. You're something else, aren't you?"

"Get away from me you sick son of a bitch!" Elsa screamed, sending a line of icicles across the floor at Aaron's feet. But the king wasn't threatened in the slightest. With the wave of one hand, fire erupted from his fingers and melted the ice to water. He stepped forward a little more; chuckling all the while.

"Elsa, you of all people should know that fire melts ice!" he teased.

Paul jumped off the bed, and stood in front of Elsa.

"I always knew you were a selfish bastard, but this a new low," he hissed. "How could you do that?"

"I have guts, Paul. Something you've always lacked. You see, it's a dog eat dog world out there. Only the strong survive so it's important to take any opportunity you get to help yourself. Now, this wouldn't have happened of course if you hadn't stole Elsa from me."

"What the hell are you talking about? I didn't steal her from you; I love her, and she loves me," Paul screamed.

"Oh I can definitely see that," Aaron said. "I see the way she looks at you, the way you two interact, and all the little stupid things you have in common. There's no doubt about it, Paul. Queen Elsa loves you, and that's not OK with me."

"There's nothing you can do about it now," Paul hissed. "We're engaged. We're going to get married, expose you for the cold blooded killer you are, and have you executed for treason!"

Aaron smiled. Oh how Paul hated that smile of his. How he loved to wipe that wicked grin off his face permanently.

"Too bad no one will believe you," he mocked.

"What the hell are you talking about? We've got evidence, and Elsa knows as well," Paul cried.

"Do you really think the people of Urvea would believe that their new king murdered his parents? The one child who they watched grow up in this castle? The one who exceeded in so many levels? No. Not in the slightest."

"And if you even try to tell them, I'll unleash a full scale attack on Arendelle," Aaron said.

"No!" Elsa cried.

"Oh yes, Queen Elsa. If you don't listen to me, and do as I say or either of you tries to expose me, I'll have your entire kingdom turned to ashes."

Elsa started to cry; the thought of her people being ruthlessly slaughtered was sickening to the very core. She couldn't let Aaron hurt them; she would do anything to prevent it.

"What do you want, Aaron? She said, her voice barely audible. "I'll do anything you want just don't hurt my people."

Aaron smiled, and placed a hand on Elsa's cheek.

"Marry me," he said.

"What?"

"You heard me. Marry me and rule beside me as the new Queen of Urvea."

"But…what about Arendelle…they need a ruler too!" Elsa stammered.

"Let your sister take charge then" Aaron spat. "I don't care as long as you're with me."

"No. I'll never marry you, Aaron Clayworth. I love Paul; he's the man I want to marry, he's the man I want to rule beside me. He's more of a king than you'll ever be!" Elsa cried.

Aaron smiled again; this time chuckling a little. "Very well, Queen Elsa. Then I shall declare war on Arendelle. In a few days' time, you're precious little kingdom will be a pile of soot and burnt corpses. But remember, it didn't have to come to this."

Elsa grew terrified. She knew that Aaron wasn't bluffing; she knew that he had enough manpower to wipe Arendelle clear off the map. She couldn't let that happen. As Queen she was responsible for the lives of everyone in her kingdom. Elsa wasn't going to let someone destroy innocent lives just because he didn't have his way. It killed Elsa inside; tore her apart limb by limb. She loathed the idea of being married to this sick, psychopathic bastard, but she knew she had no choice. If she wanted her people to live, she had to do this.

"Fine. I'll marry you," she whispered.

"What? Elsa no! Paul cried.

"Excellent. You've made a very wise decision my dear," Aaron said, giving her a round of applause.

"Elsa, what about us? I love you, and you love me!" Paul said, tears flowing from his eyes.

Elsa turned around to face Paul; her face wet with tears. "Paul, I love you so much. But I love my people as well. I can't let anything bad happen to them. I would never forgive myself. They mean the world to me, especially Anna."

"What about me?" Paul demanded.

"I'll always love you, Paul, and I'll always cherish the times we spent together. But Aaron has us beat, we can't fight back."

"Yes we can! We can beat him, Elsa! I know we can!"

"No, Paul, it's over. Goodbye."

"Elsa wait!" Paul cried, but the Snow Queen had already left and taken her place beside Aaron. She hung her head low; unable to look at Paul.

"That's my girl," Aaron said, giving Elsa kiss on the head.

"As for you dear brother of mine," Aaron said.

"What? Are you going to burn me death just like mom and dad?" Paul scoffed.

"As tempting as that is, I'm going to offer you a deal," Aaron said. "I want you to leave Urvea forever, and never return to either it or Arendelle. You can go wherever the hell you want, I don't care, just as long as you stay out of those two kingdoms."

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" Paul snarled.

"Easy. I will launch a full scale attack on Arendelle; boiling its citizens to a fiery crisp."

Elsa started to cry harder; she looked up at Paul and pleaded with him to agree to the deal. Paul knew how much Elsa loved her kingdom; and he would never want to do anything to hurt her or the people of Arendelle. With a heavy, heavy, heavy heart, Paul agreed to Aaron's demand.

"Very good. Just remember, if I or anyone from either kingdoms reports seeing you, consider the people of Arendelle: extinct!"

Aaron forced Paul to take off his clothes, and exchange them with a pair of rags. He gave Paul some money, and food, before sending him on his way. Paul was surprised his brother had the decency to do that.

He boarded a ship that evening; unsure of where it was going, but hoping that it was somewhere far from Urvea and Arendelle. As the ship left the harbor, he took one last look at the place where he grew up, and sighed. It was now nothing more than a memory.

* * *

**Paul may be down, but he's certainly not out. He'll be back in action soon enough. For now, he must live the life of an outcast. And Elsa must deal with Aaron's wrath. I can say that I do know personally what Paul is going through; losing a loved one is a terrible thing. My mother passed away when I was thirteen, and it's been tough without her. But I know that she's in a better place. **

**Please Review!**


	15. A Broken Spirit

Chapter 15:

A Broken Spirit

**Things look pretty grim, don't they? Well Paul's life as an outcast begins here. Next chapter will focus on Elsa and how she's dealing with newly crowned King Aaron. Thank you all so much for the reviews! I love reading them. It motivates me, and really makes my day when I read them. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As the ship sailed through the night, Paul lay in his cabin thinking about all that just occurred. Aaron had revealed himself to be a cold blooded killer who murdered their parents, blackmailed Elsa into marrying him, and threatened to attack Arendelle if he didn't leave forever. It was all so unreal. Paul thought of Aaron with his filthy lips on Elsa; the thought filled him with rage. "I'll fucking kill him," he whispered. But he knew that that wasn't going to happen. Paul was no match for Aaron, and besides, even if he tried, Aaron would attack Arendelle, hundreds would lose their lives, and Elsa would be devastated beyond repair. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her. He loved her so much. Why had she given into Aaron's demands so easily? She has magical abilities too, she could defeat him. After all, good always triumphs over evil, right? No. This wasn't some fairy tale. This was the real world. Aaron played Paul like a musical instrument, and destroyed him when he was no longer useful. Paul thought about his mother and father, and the agonizingly painful death they must have experienced. Tears fell from his eyes as he pictured his parents screaming, begging for someone to rescue them. Never again would Paul see their faces; never again would he hear their words of advice. Just like his past life, they were a memory, and nothing more.

With nothing left to do, Paul closed his eyes and fell asleep, trying to put the past behind him. When he awoke several hours later, he exited his cabin and went out onto the main deck. He saw that they were no longer in Germany, but in France: Paris to be exact. From the ship, he could see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance; one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. His mother had told him all about it when he was younger. Before she met his father, Queen Lilly traveled to many different countries throughout Europe. She said that Paris, France was by far her favorite; the City of Love she said it was called. Queen Lilly wasn't kidding when she said that he city had beautiful architecture. As Paul got off the ship, he found himself marveling at the many different buildings around him. He walked down a street which held a wide variety of shops. Paul looked into his pocket; Aaron had given him five gold pieces, which was enough to keep him well fed for a week. After which, he would need to get a job. But Paul could care less about eating. He was too depressed for it. He entered the first pub he saw, and ordered two large classes of hard liquor. Paul wasn't much of a drinker, but after the hell that he had just been through; drinking was the only way to numb the pain.

With each sip he took, he thought about Elsa. Her long braided blonde hair, her sapphire blue eyes, her pale skin, her cold, but yet so tender lips. He missed everything about her. But he knew that he had to leave her behind now. There was no changing what had happened, so it was best that he forget about Elsa all together. Paul spent all five gold coins on hard liquor. By the time he finished his twelfth class, he was heavily intoxicated. He demanded another glass of liquor, but the bartender refused. "Sorry pal, you don't have any more money. Besides, I think you've had enough," he said.

"Well fuck you then!" Paul spat. "I'll just go somewhere else to get a drink."

He stumbled towards the door to the bar, his head spinning with every step he took. He noticed another patron at the bar who had two large glasses of liquor. Paul walked over to the man's table, grabbed one of the glasses, and started to drink.

"What the hell are you doing, buddy?" the man cried. "That's my drink."

Paul finished off the glass, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "First come, first serve asshole," he quipped. The man, who was three times the size of Paul, grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the ground. "Outside now!" he demanded.

"Ok, dear if you insist," Paul said, getting up off the floor.

They went into the backyard of the bar where Paul put up his fists, ready to fight. "Ok dumbass, let's see what you got," he mumbled. Paul swayed from side to side; his intoxication taking a real toll on him. He swung a fist forward, but missed by quite a few feet. The man reeled back his own fist, and sucker punched Paul in the face sending him flat on his back. The man's strength instantly knocked Paul out. Not wanting to get in trouble with the law, the man knew he had to get rid of Paul's unconscious body fast. He picked him up and threw him a dumpster outside the bar. "Home sweet home, you little shit!" the man said closing the lid to the dumpster.

* * *

When Paul finally came to, he was met with the putrid smell of garbage and a splitting headache. He was still very much intoxicated, and had trouble processing where he was. "Why does it smell like shit?" he mumbled. He felt around in the darkness of the dumpster, and felt something sticky and smelly. "Disgusting! I need to get out of here!" Paul tried to stand up, but hit his head on the lid of the dumpster, sending him face first down into the garbage. Paul tried to stand again, but this time anticipated the lid above him. He put his hands on the lid, and pushed with all his might. The lid opened, and Paul could see the sky. It was starting to rain in Paris, very hard actually. Paul crawled out of the dumpster, and fell to the ground.

"Oh my head!" he said, rubbing his temple.

Paul tried to stand up, falling a few times before finally succeeding. The rain was coming down harder, soaking Paul in water. "I…need…shelter," he mumbled. He stumbled a few feet, and into an alleyway. On the other side, he saw a familiar building, one that he seen often in paintings when he was a kid. It was the Notre Dame cathedral. He stumbled toward the building, and threw his hands on the huge doors, and pushed them open. Paul walked inside he saw rows upon rows of pews, stained glass windows covering the walls, and a large organ at the far end of the room along with the altar. He made his way down the aisle; rubbing his forehead in an attempt to ease the pain. When he got to the altar, he looked up and saw an image of Jesus Christ on the cross. Paul chuckled as he looked at it.

"How am I supposed to believe in you when you let terrible things like this happen?" Paul asked. The room was silent as Paul actually waited, expecting an answer. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You're not real. If you were, then there would be no such thing as evil in the world."

"The Lord doesn't create evil, my son," said a voice from behind him. Paul turned around and saw a priest walking towards him, holding a bible in his hands.

"Then why does it exist?" Paul demanded.

"God gives us the gift of choice. He allows us to make decisions on what to do with our lives. Some people choose the path of righteousness, others choose something much darker."

"Then why doesn't God just make us automatically choose the path of righteousness?" Paul asked.

"Because then we wouldn't have free will. God wants us to be the ones in control of our lives, and make the decisions we think are right. He may not always agree with the decisions we make, but he allows it to happen because he wants us to have control over our lives," the priest explained.

The priest stood beside Paul and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's your name, my son?" he asked.

"Paul."

"Nice to meet you, Paul. I'm Father John. It's a pleasure to have you here."

Father John looked at Paul and could tell that he was in a very bad shape. His clothes were soaking wet, and he a large bruise on his face. "Come with me, my son. Let's go upstairs and get you something warm to wear."

Upstairs, Father John gave Paul a set of robes to wear along with a meal for him to eat. Paul hadn't eaten for quite a while, so he quickly finished off the food given to him. The two men sat at a table upstairs in the cathedral. Paul sat on one end, and Father John sat on the other. The two were quiet for most of the time. Father John wanted Paul to enjoy his meal so he thought it best not to disturb him. When he finished, the priest finally spoke.

"Where are you from, Paul?" he asked.

"Somewhere far away," Paul replied, not wanting to get into detail.

"I see. And what about your family? Do they know where you are?"

Paul didn't reply. He really didn't want to discuss that aspect of his life.

"Alright then. I can see that you don't want to talk. You're welcome to stay here this evening if you don't have a place to stay. There's a bed at the far end of the room. I'll be next door if you need anything. God bless," Father John said, before exiting the room.

Paul sat back in his chair and thought about what just happened. He was glad that he had a place to stay for the night, but he vowed to leave early next morning. Paul was his own man now; he didn't need anybody's help, especially not from a priest. Finishing up the last of his glass of water, Paul turned in for the evening, and went to sleep.

* * *

**I know it's short. I promise that next chapter that focuses on Paul will be longer. I'll explore the relationship between Paul and Father John. He'll serve as a mentor to Paul during his path to recovery. However, the next chapter will focus on Elsa dealing with Aaron. By the way, if any of you know any good passages from the bible that Father John could say to Paul that would really help him out, please feel free to let me know!**

**Please Review!**


	16. Chained By Tyranny

Chapter 16:

Chained to Tyranny

**This chapter focuses on Elsa dealing with Aaron's tyrannical reign. Warning: It is a bit disturbing. The story will get darker from here.**

* * *

_Elsa opened her eyes and saw that she was lying in an open field. She sat up and looked around. There was nothing in sight; just a large meadow that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles. Elsa heard a noise from behind her. She turned around and saw Paul walking toward her. He smiled and knelt down beside her. _

"_Paul, you're here," she said, smiling happily. _

"_And I always will be," Paul replied. _

_Paul moved in closer towards her and the two met with a perfect kiss. Elsa closed her eyes, and cupped his cheeks in her hands, bringing his face closer, and embracing the tenderness of his lips. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Paul was no longer there, and Aaron was in his place. _

"_Pucker up, baby!" he said cynically. Elsa looked beside her and saw Paul's lifeless body on the ground, blood spewing from an open wound in his chest. _

"_No! Paul! No!"_

_She reached out to grab him, but was pulled back by Aaron, his grip tightening the more she struggled. _

"_I'll show you what a real man tastes like," he hissed. _

Elsa woke up breathing heavily. Her face was covered in sweat, and her eyes were bloodshot red. She looked around and saw that she was still in her room. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. Still, it was terrifying. The thought of Paul being dead sent a thousand shivers up her spine, but she quickly reminded herself that he wasn't dead, only exiled. Elsa slipped out of bed and walked towards the door. The moment she grabbed the knob she noticed something was wrong. The door wouldn't open. She pulled on the handle as hard as she could, but the door wouldn't budge an inch.

Then it finally dawned on her. Aaron must have locked the door to prevent her from escaping. She turned around and looked at her window. Just as she figured, bars had been placed on it. Elsa leaned against the wall, and slowly sunk to the ground crying. She was a prisoner now. Aaron's puppet, one to obey his every command. She knew that she had to do this to protect her people from his wrath, but she still couldn't get used to it. Since Paul left, every day Aaron placed his filthy lips on her. The more she resisted, the angrier Aaron got, and he would always threaten her with Arendelle's destruction. Fortunately, Aaron hadn't gone any farther than kissing her. He believed that they should wait until after they were married before they engage in any more "intimate activates" as he so wickedly put it.

Nevertheless, days with him were the closest thing Elsa had been to experiencing true hell. Aaron almost never took his eye off of her, and was always nearby. The only time she ever had any privacy was in the evening when she had retired for bed.

True to his word, Aaron made sure that Elsa wrote to Anna telling her that she was the new queen of Arendelle, and that she was marrying Aaron. At first Anna didn't believe her, and wrote back demanding an explanation. As she wrote her reply, Aaron stood beside her, telling her every word to write. Eventually, Anna ceased her questioning and took the position, but demanded to be invited to the wedding. Aaron agreed to allow her to come, but if Elsa said one word to her about all that had transpired, he would burn her to a crisp right in front of her.

Elsa didn't need him to tell her twice to know that he wasn't bluffing. She vowed to keep quiet at all cost for the sake of Anna and the people of Arendelle, and Paul of course. Elsa knew that Aaron was very capable of killing Paul if she stepped out of line once. She was surprised that he had let the man live even after learning the truth. Maybe he wasn't a complete monster, she thought. Don't sympathize with him, Elsa. He's a cold blooded killer, and you know it. Poor Paul. Thrown out of the only life he'd ever known by his own brother. She couldn't imagine the pain he must be feeling. Such a kind, sweet man did not deserve do suffer so much. If she never saw him again, she hoped that one day he would find happiness again…even if it was with another woman.

* * *

The next day, Aaron woke Elsa up around 8:00. He told her that they were to take care of case which involved a servant who had stolen food from the palace kitchen. Since taking the throne, Aaron had eliminated the court system to save time and money. Now anyone charged with a crime was declared by him to be either guilty or not guilty, depending on the evidence available. Elsa thought was this was a sick idea, but she didn't dare tell Aaron that. His temper was very unstable, and the slightest wrong move could send him into a fit of rage. They took their places in the throne room, and watched as several guards brought forth a man bound in chains. He looked terrified as he gazed up at Aaron and Elsa.

"Your Majesties, I didn't do it I swear!" he begged.

"Silence!" Aaron bellowed, causing fire to erupt from the ground.

"You do not speak unless spoken too," he demanded.

"Now, you Arnold Bauer have been charged with the crime of stealing palace property. You were seen by several witnesses leaving the cellar with large bags of fruit. When the guards checked your quarters they found those bags under your bed. It looks to me like this is an open and shut case, Mr. Bauer. What do you have to say for yourself?

"I didn't do it! I was framed! Honest! I didn't even go into the fruit cellar yesterday! I was in the kitchen the entire time!"

"A likely story," Aaron said.

"Nevertheless, there are four witnesses that would argue otherwise. Based on that evidence alone, I believe it's enough to seal your fate. Therefore, I declare you, Arnold Bauer, guilty of palace theft, and hereby sentence you to death."

"What? No, no, no!" Arnold cried.

Elsa had had enough, she had to step in and say something. "Aaron, he only stole fruit, don't you think that's too harsh of a punishment? Just send him to the dungeons for a few months, let him think about what he's done!"

"Be quiet, Elsa!" Aaron snapped.

"Stealing from the palace is a serious offense, and when you steal from the palace, you steal from me, and I will not tolerate that!" I hereby set the execution date for November 16th! Get him out of my sight!"

Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by Arnold's screams. "Please, please, I'm innocent! Give me a fair trial! I'll prove it to you!"

"Silence him!" Aaron yelled.

One of the guards removed a piece of cloth from his pocket, and gagged Arnold with it. The prisoner continued to shout, even with his mouth muffled. When the guards left the throne room, Aaron turned his attention to Elsa.

"You know I don't like it when you interrupt me, Elsa," he said.

"I'm sorry, Aaron," Elsa said, trying to keep her cool. "But I just think that death is too extreme of a punishment for theft. Fruit can easily be replaced. If you would just…

Aaron grabbed Elsa's arm, and squeezed it tight. The heat from his hand sizzled right through her dress, and into her flesh. Elsa opened her mouth and screamed. She had never felt such pain in her entire life. The more she screamed, the harder Aaron gripped, burning deeper and deeper into her flesh. "Aaron, for the love of God, stop it!" she cried, icy tears streaming down her face. "Please! If you love me, please stop!"

Aaron released his grip, allowing Elsa to yank her arm away. She held her arm over her leg, examining the wound. Steam rose from the open wound like it was some freshly baked bread! Aaron had burned right through the skin, and into several layers of flesh, resulting in a blackened, charred color. She could swear she could almost see the bone. Elsa used her other hand to conjure up a shard of ice, and placed it over the wound. It stung at first, but the cold soon eased the pain a great deal.

"Don't you ever talk back to me again, Elsa!" Aaron warned, the menace gleaming in his eyes. "You may be queen, but you're also my fiancée, and soon you'll be my wife. And a wife listens to what her husband tells her, she respects his wishes, and obeys his every command. You may have power over this kingdom, Elsa. But you don't have power over me! Do you understand?"

Elsa nodded, too frightened to speak. Aaron was a monster, she couldn't deal with this any longer. She had to put a stop to his reign of tyranny now before someone else got hurt.

Elsa visited the hospital wing shortly after Aaron's attack. The king made sure that Elsa told the doctor that she burned her arm while assisting the chefs with dinner. "If you even mutter a kernel of the truth, I will scald your pretty little face."

The doctor treated Elsa's wound the best that he could. He said that she had a third degree burn, and had it been any more severe she could have lost her arm. Elsa bit her teeth together as the doctor rubbed a special ointment for burns on her arm, and then wrapped it up in bandages. He told her that they would have to continue to treat the wound for several more weeks. It would heal, but it would more than likely leave a scar. "You should be more careful, Queen Elsa!" the doctor said.

Elsa looked up at Aaron; the latter giving her a cunning smile. "Yes, doctor. From now on, I will certainly be more careful."

* * *

The next day, Aaron and Elsa began preparations for their wedding. Aaron agreed to allow Elsa to pick the date as long as it was within five months' time. Elsa decided to have the wedding in late March, four months from now. This would give her plenty of time to come up with a plan to dispose of Aaron. She knew she couldn't risk exposing him to the public. With one breath, he could destroy her homeland if he discovered her betrayal. No, she had to do something much craftier, more sinister. One afternoon, as Aaron looked over the blueprints on a statue of himself he was having built in the courtyard, Elsa asked him if she could take a walk into town. Normally, Aaron kept an eye on her like a hawk, but she had been rather well-behaved lately, so he decided to let her have some free time to herself.

Elsa left the palace as soon as she could, and took her time to enjoy the fresh air. She had been cooped up in the palace for days, so much so that she felt like the past thirteen years of isolation had come back to haunt her. She explored the many shops Urvea had, from the bakery to the pet shop, all the way to the blacksmith. Elsa used this time to come up with ways to eliminate Aaron. She knew that she had to kill him, but she couldn't just do it in cold blood, that would be way too suspicious. No, she had to kill him without leaving a single bit of evidence behind. When she entered the East Side of town, she came upon an apothecary. She asked him if he sold any type of poisonous herbs. The man told her that he had one in particular that was commonly used to kill rats. He had assumed that that's why Elsa wanted to buy it, and Elsa told him that it was. She paid ten copper pieces for the poison, hid it in her dress, and made her way back to the palace.

That evening, as the chefs were preparing dinner, and Aaron was finishing work in his study, Elsa slipped into the kitchen with the poison in hand. On the counter, she noticed that someone had already poured two glasses of wine for the couple. One of the glasses was gold, the other silver. Elsa knew that only Aaron drank out of the gold one. She snuck over to the table, and removed the cork from the bottle. Without giving it a seconds thought, she poured the poison into Aaron's glass.

"That should do it," she said softly to herself. "Your reign of tyranny ends now, you sick son of a bitch."

* * *

Elsa was waiting for Aaron at the dining room table when he arrived. The king greeted her kindly and then took his seat beside her. The servants then came in and placed the food, and glasses of wine on the table. As Elsa expected, Aaron was given the gold goblet to drink from, and she was given the silver.

When the servants left, the two began to eat their meal.

"So how was your trip to town this afternoon?" Aaron asked.

"Very nice, I had a good time," Elsa said calmly.

"Did you buy anything in particular?"

"No. I just walked through town."

"You'll be pleased to know that I'm having the orphanage torn down, and will be replaced with a perfumery."

"Doesn't Urvea already have a perfumery?" Elsa asked, appalled by his announcement.

"Yes it does, but it's not very good. I wanted something with a little more…class shall we say."

"What about the orphans? Where will they live?" Elsa asked, sounding concerned.

"I've sent them to work in the coal mines," Aaron stated simply.

"The coal mines? Aaron, they're just children," Elsa said, truly appalled.

"So? A little discipline never hurt anyone."

"Yes, but the coal mines are dangerous!

"Remember what I told you, Elsa!" Aaron warned, the same menacing gleam in his eyes that Elsa was all too familiar with.

Elsa nodded, and turned back to her meal. She noticed that Aaron hadn't taken a sip of his wine since he started eating. This made Elsa nervous. What if he wasn't thirsty tonight? She thought. She spent all the money he gave her today on the bottle of poison, and she used it all on that one glass! If he didn't drink at all, then her plan was a failure, and Aaron would live to reign another day. She kept a close eye on Aaron, keeping track of his every move. When he finished eating his vegetables, he reached over and picked up his glass.

Yes! Elsa thought. Drink up!

As Aaron brought the glass to his lips, he moved his fingers a bit, which caused him to lose his grip on the cup, sending it straight to the table, spilling wine everywhere.

Elsa groaned. She couldn't believe this just happened. So close she thought.

"These damn things are always so slippery," Aaron said, wiping the wine off his placemat. He summoned a servant over to clean up the mess, and another one to pour him another glass. After the servants left, Aaron started up another conversation. Elsa however, was in no mood to talk.

"I'm not feeling well, Aaron," she said. "I think I'll go to bed early."

"Very well, if you insist. It's awful early though," he said.

"I know. I just think I should go lie down."

"Adrian, make sure Queen Elsa gets to her chambers," he said, summoning a servant over. "And don't forget to lock her door."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Adrian led Elsa back to her room, and locked the door as soon as she was inside. When Elsa was sure that he was gone, she started to cry. Frost formed around her, growing up the walls, and on the ceiling. She looked up and saw the painting of Jesus Christ hanging above her bed. "Some God you are!" she hissed.

* * *

**As you can see, things aren't looking so good for Elsa either. Aaron's sadistic side is really starting to show. Unlike Paul however, she hasn't given up just yet. She's just a little winded, that's all. Next chapter will focus on Paul's current situation with Father John, and will also focus on Anna and Kristoff back at Arendelle. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them!**

**Please Review!**


	17. The Path to Righteousness

Chapter 17:

The Path to Righteousness

* * *

When Paul woke up the next morning, he saw that Father John had prepared breakfast for him upstairs in one of the rooms of the cathedral. Even though Paul was thankful for it, he couldn't wait to leave the place. A church is just a grim reminder of a God that everyone says exists, but in reality, does not. Father John gave Paul five golden coins to get by while he searches for a job. After saying his goodbyes, Paul left Notre Dame and went searching for a job. He tried many different places, but all were not hiring. "This is just great," Paul said to himself. "I guess I'm going to have to leave Paris and go someplace else."

He started to walk toward the harbor to catch a ship out of the city when he walked past the same bar that he was in yesterday. He stopped, and turned around. "I guess I can have a few drinks before I leave town," he said. Paul put his hands on the door to the bar, ready to order several rounds of hard liquor when he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"I don't think spending your money on booze is very wise," the voice said.

Paul turned around and saw Father John standing behind him. He was still wearing his robes, and held a copy of the bible in his hands.

"Well. It's my money so I can spend it on whatever I want," Paul snapped.

"Actually, it's my money. I gave it to you," Father John reminded Paul. "In any case, I can assure you that drowning your sorrows in alcohol won't solve your problems.

"Problems? Who ever said I had problems? Maybe I just want a damn drink!" Paul said, giving the priest a mean glare.

"I know a troubled soul when I see one," Father John replied calmly. "After all, who in their right mind would start a fight just for fun?"

"What? How did you know about that?" Paul asked, shocked at what he was hearing.

"You have a black eye, Paul. Are you telling me you got that by accident?"

"Yeah, so I got into a little scuffle so what," Paul snapped.

"Paul, violence should only be used in self-defense or protecting someone you love, not just because you're angry or drunk."

"Whatever. It's nothing compared to the hell I've been through," Paul said, tears starting to fall down his cheeks.

Father John could tell that Paul was more troubled than he thought. He knew that he had to help him find his way again. Paul seemed like a good man, he just needed some guidance.

"Come with me, Paul," he said. "Tell me what's bothering you."

Paul followed Father John back to the church. Once there, he told him everything: Falling in love with Queen Elsa, his brother's treachery, and his recent exile. When he was finished speaking, Paul looked at Father John, anxious to hear what he was going to say. Paul had a good idea already. He was probably going to tell Paul that he had to forgive his brother, and that he should move on with his life. He was surprised at the priest's response.

"This Aaron sounds like a truly wicked being," Father John said. "I feel sorry for him. He's lost in more ways than he realizes. But I feel even sorrier for the people living under his reign, especially Queen Elsa."

"He's the definition of a tyrant," Paul said.

"Indeed. So what are you going to do about it?" Father John asked.

"What do you mean? Didn't you hear what I told you? He exiled me, and if I even set one foot in or Ureva again he's going to destroy Arendelle."

"I understand that, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it."

"What could I possibly do?" Paul cried in frustration. "Aaron has magical powers and control of Urvea! What do I have? Nothing. I don't stand a chance against him."

"Paul, you can't let this tyranny continue. Innocent lives are suffering! Aaron may have several advantages over you, but that doesn't mean he's invincible. Good is stronger than evil."

Paul looked at Father John, and thought over what he just said. "Good is stronger than evil." Even though he had heard that before many times, didn't mean it was true.

"Father, there is no point in trying to convince me that I still have a chance, because I know that I don't. Aaron's won, and that's that."

"What about Elsa?" Father John asked.

"What about her?"

"Are you really going to let the woman you love suffer at the hands of this villain? Do you really want her to be in pain for the rest of her life?"

"Of course not, I love Elsa, but fate just isn't on my side. Why can't you understand that?"

"Come with me, Paul. There's something I want to show you."

* * *

Father John led Paul back to the cathedral. He took him upstairs and told him to sit in one of the chairs. He opened his bible and flipped through the pages until he came to the book that he was looking for.

"Have you ever read the Book of Job?" he asked.

Paul shook his head. "I never really read the bible much."

"Well, let me read it to you. I think that it really fits the situation that you're in."

Father John read the Book of Job to Paul, which turned out to be a more interesting tale than Paul thought it would be. It was about a man named Job who was blessed with many things, and was a true believer in God. Yet, God allowed all these terrible things to happen to Job such as the death of his children. Despite this, Job didn't renounce his faith in God, he kept on believing, but demanded an explanation for his suffering.

In the end, Job realizes that there are forces in the world that we don't understand, and that they are beyond our control. We just have to make the best of what's given to us. Paul was touched by the story. He could relate to Job, and how he wondered how a kind and loving God could allow such terrible things to happen to him even if he was a good person. Like Job, he felt cheated, but God's words made a lot of sense to him. He was only a mere mortal, and without God he wouldn't even exist to begin with! Paul knew that despite all that had happened to him, he wasn't making the best of it. Sulking in self-pity was not the way to go, it only made things worse. Aaron may have won the battle, but he had yet to win the war.

Father John told Paul that he could stay with him as long as he liked, and offered him a job as an altar boy in the church. It didn't pay much, but Paul took it nonetheless. He figured he owed Father John for all that he had done for him.

For the next few weeks, Paul served an altar boy in the Notre Dame Cathedral. There he was exposed to Father John's many sermons as well as the teachings of the bible. Paul had read a little of the bible as a child, but didn't care for it because he didn't understand it. Now that he was older, and was under Father John's guidance, he understood it better. Paul read the bible daily, immersing himself in the word of the Lord Himself. Slowly, he felt his faith begin to grow again, and the power of righteousness began to take over. Paul knew that he had to stop Aaron and save Urvea and Elsa from his tyrannical reign, but how? He couldn't do it alone, he was just one man!

He needed allies, people to help him in his invasion of Urvea. Arendelle was out of the question, so who else could he turn too?

He remembered his Uncle; King Luke of Labraza, and his cousins Prince David and Princess Violet. He had not seen them in a long time, but he knew for a fact that they would be willing to help him. With an ally in mind, Paul began to plan his journey to Urvea.

He told Father John of his plans, and the priest commended him. "Very good, my son. You're taking responsibility and following the path of righteousness," he said.

"Father, there is one thing that is troubling me," Paul confessed.

"What's that, my son?"

Paul had thought about this for some time now. What he would do when he faced Aaron. He knew that Aaron wasn't going to step down from the throne willingly, he would surely fight him for it. Aaron was a very persistent man, and would likely battle him to the death for the throne and Elsa, which is what frightened him. Paul feared that he might have to end his brother's life in order to save Elsa and Urvea. Even though his brother had done horrible things, Paul couldn't bring himself to do that. He was his brother, his own flesh and blood, the two of them grew up together! He had already killed a man, and that was enough for one lifetime alone. But his own brother? The thought was sickening to the very core.

"When the time comes, and I face Aaron…what should I do?"

"I cannot tell you that, my son. You make your own choices, you must decide what you think is the right thing to do."

"But what if I have to kill him? I don't want to do that! I just want to an end to his tyranny!"

"Sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to do in this life," Father John explained. "Things that we may never understand, but we do them because we know deep down that it's the right thing to do. Whatever that is for you, Paul, I trust that you'll know what to do when the time comes."

* * *

Back in Arendelle, Anna was still having a hard time getting used to being queen. She knew that Elsa had it rough, but never this bad. It seemed like her whole life now consisted of nothing but meetings, paperwork, and solving problems! Kristoff was kind enough to assist her in any way he could, but it still lessen the stress any. On top of that, Anna was still perplexed as to why Elsa was now engaged to Aaron, and why she had given up on Paul. Come to think of it, she hadn't heard anything about Paul for almost a month! Something definitely wasn't right here. One afternoon, after she received the invitation to Elsa's wedding in Urvea, Anna decided to see for herself what was going on in her sister's new home. She called Kristoff in to her study, and told him all that was troubling her.

"It just doesn't make sense, Kristoff," she said. "One minute Elsa is head over heels with Paul, and the next she is engaged to marry Aaron. I just don't get it."

"Maybe she realized that Paul wasn't as good a match for her as she thought," Kristoff suggested.

"No, I don't think so. Those two are made for each other, Kristoff. I've seen them interact enough to know that. Elsa has also been very vague in her letters to me. When I ask her questions like what made her change her mind about Paul, she simply says that it didn't work out, and that's it. She doesn't bother to go into details. Something is not right here, Kristoff. We need to go to Urvea and speak to Elsa and Aaron face to face.

"You sure we should do that? I mean it's kind of rude to just barge into someone's home and demand answers," Kristoff said.

"She's my sister, Kristoff, and I haven't seen her for weeks! Plus, we already have a good relationship with Urvea, they'll probably be happy to see us."

"Ok. Whatever you think is best."

"Great. I'll start making plans. We'll leave tomorrow early in the morning, so be sure to pack your things tonight," Anna said.

With plans for a trip to Urvea now in motion, Kristoff began packing his things as soon as he returned to his cabin. The mountain man could understand why Anna was suspicious, and quite frankly, so was he. Yet something in the back of his mind told him that there was nothing to worry about, and that Queen Elsa was just doing what she wanted. After all, who would marry someone they didn't love?

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**Suspense is building, and action is upon us. Stay tuned!**

**Please Review!**


	18. Revelations

Chapter 18:

Revelations

**Hey there! Thank you all so much for the reviews. I really appreciate them. I'm glad you are all enjoying the story! Anyway, I'll keep this short because I know you're ready for the story to continue. Ok, on with the show!**

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Just as they planned, Anna and Kristoff left early the next morning for Urvea. Along the way, Anna continued to wonder why Elsa had made such a drastic change of mind. What was wrong with Paul? Did he do something that offended her? If so, surely he didn't mean it. Paul was a sweet man, she couldn't see him doing anything to hurt anyone on purpose. When they reached the shores of Urvea, Anna and Kristoff went out onto the deck and watched as the kingdom came into view.

"Are you sure about this?" Kristoff asked.

"Absolutely. There's something strange going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is," Anna said confidently.

The ship docked in the harbor, and Anna and Kristoff quickly made their way to the Urvea palace. They were stopped at the door by two guards.

"Who goes there?" one of them said.

"Princess... I mean…Queen Anna of Arendelle, and Kristoff Bjorgman," Anna said. She was still getting used to introducing herself as queen instead of princess. "We have come to see King Aaron and Queen Elsa."

"Very well. I shall let them know of your arrival," the guard said. He went inside and upstairs to Aaron's study where the man was looking over various maps of the United States.

"Your Majesty, Queen Anna and Kristoff Bjorgman are here to see you and Queen Elsa."

Aaron dropped the map that he held in his hand, and looked up at the guard. She suspects something he thought. I need to do something to quiet her suspicions. "Tell them to meet me in the parlor downstairs," he said.

After the guard left, Aaron folded away his maps, and thought about what he was going to say to Anna and Kristoff. No doubt that annoying little pest will want to see her sister, but he can't let that happen. He can't risk Elsa exposing him. Right now the Snow Queen was in her room reading, one of the few activities Aaron allowed her to do by herself. Let her stay there he thought. She doesn't need to know that her sister and her boyfriend are here.

As planned, Aaron met Anna and Kristoff in the parlor. He was smiling, and carried a box of chocolates with him.

"Queen Anna, and Kristoff, how good to see you!" he said. "I was just finishing up some work upstairs. I brought some chocolates if you want any." he said, holding the box out towards Anna and Kristoff.

"No thanks," Anna replied. "Where is Elsa?"

"She couldn't make it I'm afraid. She's busy tending to a problem in the castle. Nevertheless, she told me to tell you that she sends her regards."

"Well, could I see her, please? I haven't seen her in weeks," Anna said.

Aaron shook his head. "I'm sorry, but she's really busy at the moment. I'll tell her you stopped by though."

Anna raised an eyebrow. Something was definitely wrong here. She was the Queen of Arendelle now, if she wanted something she should have it, especially if it regarding her sister. Why wouldn't Aaron let her see Elsa? As much as she wanted to pressure Aaron, she decided to play along for the time being.

"Very well. I take it things are going smoothly with the wedding?"

"Yes they are. I just finished hiring the orchestra," Aaron said.

"I see. Just a quick question out of curiosity, what happened with Paul and Elsa? I thought those two really had a thing together."

"Well, Paul was into Elsa for quite some time, and was planning on marrying her, but he soon found interest in a princess from another kingdom."

Anna was skeptical. "And who might that be?"

"Princess Emma of Parkington," he replied.

"So he dumped her for another woman?"

"To be put it bluntly, Anna, yes he did. You see Paul has never been known to stay with something for very long. It's just in his nature, I really don't know why. Elsa was crushed when Paul told her that he wanted to end their relationship. She came to me for comfort, and over time a connection grew between us, and we both realized how much we love each other.

"Elsa isn't the type of person to get over something that quickly," Anna retorted. "She would take something like that pretty hard, and it would stay with her for a long time. I don't think she'd be so eager to jump into another relationship so soon after her last one ended."

Aaron shrugged. He was getting tired of Anna's presence.

"I suppose that Elsa has changed over the years," he suggested. "Some people change over time."

"Maybe. I'm just surprised she's over Paul so quickly. She seemed like she really liked him."

"Well, love is a complicated thing. Now, I would love to stick around and chat with you some more, but I have a meeting that I need to attend soon. I trust you know the way out?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, we do," Anna replied.

"Great. I'll see you at the wedding."

When Anna was sure that Aaron was gone, she grabbed Kristoff by the hand and pulled him upstairs.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We're going to see Elsa."

"Didn't you hear Aaron? She's busy."

"I heard him, Kristoff, and I'm not buying it. Elsa vowed never to shut me out again after the Great Thaw. She told me that if I ever needed her, she would be there. I think Aaron's hiding something."

"Look Anna, I'll admit that I thought something weird was going on with Elsa for a while too, but after talking to Aaron, I don't think we have anything to worry about," Kristoff explained.

Anna flashed him an angry look. "I know my sister better than anyone, Kristoff. She wouldn't get over a breakup that easy. Come on, let's go find her."

The two searched various rooms upstairs, all to no avail. Anna knew her sister was here somewhere, she just had to find her. As the two reached the fourth floor of the castle, they heard the sound of someone crying.

"Wait a second….do you hear that?" Anna asked.

Kristoff listened for a minute; it sounded like a woman crying.

"Yeah I hear it," he said.

"That sounds like Elsa!"

Anna sprinted down the hallway, listening to the cries as they grew louder and louder. Finally, she traced the sound to a room at the end of the hallway.

"Kristoff, I need you to stay out here while I go in and talk to Elsa," she said. "If you see anyone coming, let me know."

The ice harvester nodded, and took his place outside the door. Anna turned the knob, and walked inside. There she saw Elsa sitting on her bed crying icy tears. Snow was falling from the ceiling and had practically covered the entire room. The Snow Queen looked up, and nearly screamed at the sight of her sister.

"Anna! What are you doing here?" she cried.

Without answering her, Anna ran to her sister's side, and wrapped her arms around her. "Elsa, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Anna, you shouldn't be here. Please leave, now!"

"No way, Elsa. You're not pulling that crap on me again. Not after all we've been through. Tell, what's been going on? Why are marrying Aaron instead of Paul?"

"Anna, please just go."

"Answer me Elsa! Why the sudden change of heart? I thought you loved Paul!

"It's complicated, Anna. I just think that Aaron is the right man to rule Arendelle. He's more mature."

"More mature? What the hell does that have to do with it? Are you marrying him simply because of that, and not because you love him?"

Elsa began to cry more. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to tell Anna the truth.

"Aaron said he would destroy Arendelle if I don't marry him," she confessed.

Anna was stunned. She knew her sister was hiding something, but she didn't expect to hear something like that.

"What?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Aaron was jealous of Paul and I being together, so he hired Carl Blaffler to kill him. In order to get Paul to come to him, Carl kidnapped you to use as bait. When that plan failed, he took matters into his own hands, and murdered his parents so he could take the throne. Afterwards, he revealed his true nature to Paul and me and threatened to kill you and everyone in Arendelle if I didn't agree to marry him.

Anna couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What about Paul?"

"Aaron banished him. I have no idea where he is now. He might be dead for all I know. Listen Anna, you have to get out of here now! Aaron is a dangerous man who will won't let anyone get in the way of his plans! Please, for your sake, and the rest of Arendelle, leave now! You have no idea what Aaron is planning."

The two sisters were so wrapped up in their conversation that they hadn't notice the door open. Aaron was listening from outside the entire time.

"How unfortunate," he said, causing the sisters to turn towards him.

"I was hoping that you wouldn't find out about this, but I can see now that you're just too curious."

Anna stood up and glared at Aaron.

"You're a monster!" she hissed.

"A monster? I prefer the term 'genius,"

"There's nothing intelligent about what you've done. You're a sick man!"

Just then Anna realized that Kristoff hadn't come into the room yet. Surely, he would have seen Aaron coming, why didn't he warn them?

"Where's Kristoff? Anna asked, concerned for the ice harvester's well-being.

Aaron smiled wickedly. "Oh he's taken care of. Don't you worry about him."

"What did you do him, you son of bitch!?" Anna yelled.

"Temper, temper. If you keep this up, Anna, I won't let you be a part of my new kingdom."

"What the hell are you talking about?

"Didn't your sister tell you?"

Anna looked at Elsa, the Snow Queen was now standing, hanging her head low. She couldn't bring herself to speak.

"Elsa and I plan on expanding our empire. In a few days, we will set sail for the United States where he will invade the country, and quickly take it over. This is something I've been dreaming about for years, but never had the chance to make it a reality until I met your sister. You see, even though I may possess incredible powers, I'm no match for the United States military. But with Elsa by my side, we can be an unstoppable force. The powers of ice and fire united to claim new land for our people!

Anna was appalled at Aaron's revelation. There's no way Elsa would go through with this.

"Elsa, don't agree to this madness!" Anna said to her sister. "Innocent lives will be destroyed if you help Aaron with his plans. Don't do it!

By now Elsa's face was covered in tears. She looked up at her sister, her face drenched. "I have no choice, Anna. If I don't do it, he'll destroy Arendelle.

"Elsa, don't give into evil. You can fight this! I know you can!" Anna pleaded

"I'm sorry, Anna. I have to protect my people…and you."

"You're going to murder thousands of innocent people just to protect your own?" Anna cried in disbelief.

"You got it all wrong, Anna," Aaron said, cutting in. "We won't kill everybody, only the weak. The strong and steady will become slaves to our new empire. True, it won't be a glorious life for them, but they still get to take part in my new world order, and what's better than that?"

"Anything else in the world," Anna spat.

"I can see that I'm not going to convince you," Aaron said glumly.

"Unfortunately, I can't let you go back to Arendelle now that you know my plans. Guards, please escort Princess Anna to the dungeons for the time being. There she can join in her boyfriend while Elsa and I begin preparations for our invasion."

The guards grabbed Anna by the arms. The younger sister thought of fighting back, but one look into Elsa's eyes told her that it wasn't a good idea.

"I just have one more question for you, Aaron," she said.

"What might that be?"

"What are you going to do about, Paul? Sooner or later, he's going to return and reclaim what's rightfully his. I have a feeling that he's going to come back with an army that will wipe you off the face of this planet."

Aaron chuckled, amused at Anna's question.

"I'm not worried about my brother, Anna. He knows that if he dares step foot in Urvea, I will burn Arendelle to ashes. Knowing Paul, and his weak, sentimental heart, he's bound to take my advice and stay as far away as humanly possible. Besides, I highly doubt he's still alive anyway. That little runt probably died of starvation weeks ago."

Anna smiled. "There's where your wrong, Aaron. Even though you haven't seen your brother in a long time, doesn't mean he's dead. I know he's out there somewhere, planning to take back his kingdom and the woman he loves. When he returns Aaron, I hope he shows you no mercy. People like you, don't deserve to live. Hell, I thought Hans was a terrible human being, but he can't hold a candle compared to you! You're a vile piece of scum, and in the end, you will pay!"

Aaron chucked. As much as he loved hearing Anna's pathetic attempts to taunt him, he had to get on with his plans. He signaled the guards to take Anna out of the room, and down to the dungeons. After they had left, Aaron approached Elsa; a look of triumph in his eyes.

"Well, that was an unexpected to dilemma, but I think I handled it nicely. Best get some sleep darling, we have a big day tomorrow. Planning an invasion takes lots of energy."

Aaron left the room, and locked the door behind him. Elsa then collapsed onto the floor, sobbing like she never had before. She looked up to the wall where a picture of Jesus was hanging, the tears poured heavily as she gazed upon it. "Father, forgive me."

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**So now you know the real reason why Aaron wants to marry Elsa. He needs more power to invade the U.S, and with the threat of killing Anna and the people of Arendelle, he has her under his spell. Like Hans, he had to constantly change his plans in order to achieve his goal. Something always got in the way to prevent him from succeeding. Next chapter will focus on Paul recruiting an army for an invasion of Urvea. It'll take some real strategic thinking. **

**Please Review!**


	19. Paul's Plan

Chapter 19:

Paul's Plan

**At long last, we find out Paul's plan for reclaiming Urvea, and rescuing Elsa. It actually took me awhile to write this chapter. I had to do some research in certain areas, and really think about how the invasion should take place. Hope you enjoy!**

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By the time the ship reached Labraza, Paul had been on it for two days. He was eager to see his Uncle Luke and cousins. With their help, they would defeat Aaron, save Elsa, and reclaim Urvea. He knew it wouldn't be easy. It would take some real strategic thinking, and Paul vowed to do the best he could so that no one on either side lost lives. Quite frankly, he had had enough violence for one lifetime. Before he left Paris, Father John was kind enough to give him a new set of clothes along with plenty of provisions for the journey. He wished the young prince good luck, and told him that God was on his side. Paul believed that as well. He knew that the Lord would lead them to victory no matter what.

When the ship reached the harbor, Paul was the first one off. He ran as fast as he could to the castle, paying little attention to the people around him. The guards at the gate instantly recognized him, and escorted him to King Luke.

The king of Labraza was seated on his throne reading a large book when the guards led Paul in. The king was overjoyed to see his nephew.

"Paul! What a pleasant surprise!" he said, standing up and walking towards him. "What brings you to Labraza, my boy?" And where's Aaron? Isn't he with you as well?"

"Uncle Luke, there's something I need to tell you," Paul began. The young prince of Urvea told King Luke everything; from meeting Elsa at the Arendelle ball to Aaron's treachery to his last few weeks living as an outcast. Normally known for his cherry demeanor, King Luke took on a serious manner as he listened to Paul tell his horrible story.

"My God!" he said, when Paul finished. "Urvea is in big trouble. And so is Queen Elsa."

"That's why I've come to you, Uncle Luke. I need you and your army to invade Urvea with me so that we can defeat Aaron."

King Luke sighed. He didn't like what his nephew was requesting. "Paul, if we invade Urvea now, we will starting a war, and I don't intend on doing that. I don't want to lose any of my men. Let me talk to Aaron, I'll force him to step down from the throne and turn himself in."

Paul shook his head. "With all due respect, sir, that won't work. Aaron isn't going to obey you. In fact, when he learns that I told you about all the things he's done, he'll probably burn Arendelle to the ground. Hundreds of innocent lives will be lost. "

King Luke knew that Paul was right. He was very familiar with Aaron's powers. Combined with his ambitious personality, Aaron would likely fulfill his promise.

"Well, it seems we have a dilemma then," King Luke said.

"I know, but I have an idea that might just work. If all goes according to plan, we can overthrow Aaron, rescue Queen Elsa, and save Urvea."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Can I have a map of Urvea, please?" Paul asked a servant nearby. The servant exited the throne room, and went to the library next door. A minute later he returned with a large map, and handed it to Paul.

Paul called King Luke and several guards over to a table nearby. He unfolded the map, picked up a quill, and began explaining his plan.

"Aaron has a ship that our father gave him for his eighteenth birthday. It's his most prized possession, and he would lose it if anything were to happen to it. The ship has cannons mounted on it for emergencies in case it ever came under attack. Because of this, my father made sure that the ship was stocked full of barrels of gunpowder. One of us could sneak aboard and shoot one of the barrels, which will cause an explosion. This will certainly get Aaron's attention. He'll likely send his army down to investigate. That's when you all will attack. Meanwhile, I and several others will sneak over to the palace and pack the bridge leading to it with several barrels of gunpowder. Once everything is in place, I'll shoot the barrels, causing them to explode and destroy the bridge. That way, Aaron's army won't be able to retreat. You all will have them cornered. Then, I'll make my way through the castle, face Aaron, and rescue Queen Elsa."

"What do you plan on doing to Aaron when you face him?" King Luke asked.

"I'm….still working on that," Paul admitted.

"You know what you have to do."

Paul knew exactly what his uncle was referring too, and quite frankly, he was still reluctant to do it.

"I know," he said, thinking about the grim future ahead.

"This is a solid plan, but don't you think we might need more men?" said the captain of the guards.

"Indeed. Urvea does have a strong army, we'd have a better advantage if we had an alley fighting beside us," King Luke said.

Paul agreed, the more men they had, the better. "Who would you recommend?" he asked King Luke.

"I'll write to the king of Berlin. We've been strong allies for many years, he's sure to lend us some support."

"Question, how are we going to get to Urvea without them seeing us? I mean come on, certainly someone would see a bunch of large ships coming into port," said one of the guards.

"Exactly, which is why we're only taking the ships halfway. In case you don't know, there's a large rock in front of Urvea. This will make the perfect spot to drop anchor and hide behind, before sailing to the kingdom on rowboats. I suggest we send three, each with one barrel of gunpowder, which we'll use on the bridge. The men who are coming with me on these rowboats will be the ones in charge of destroying the ship. Meanwhile, I and two others will take the barrels over to the bridge, once the soldiers have exited the castle of course, and there we'll plant them," Paul explained.

"The explosion will be loud enough for you to hear all the way from behind the rock. When you do hear it, head towards the harbor, and prepare for battle. Aaron's men should be there by the time you arrive. Use the cannons on the ships, they'll give you a distinct advantage over them."

King Luke and the soldiers were impressed with Paul's plan. It was strategic, one that was well thought out. It was sure to be a success. After the meeting, King Luke wrote his letter to the king of Berlin informing him of the situation, and requesting his kingdom's assistance. The king was more than happy to oblige. The kingdom of Labraza spent the next few days preparing for the invasion. Paul met with the rest of the army and explained his plan to them in great detail. He also worked with the gunsmith, making sure that they all had powerful rifles for the battle. In addition, he made sure that every soldier was equipped with the best armor in all of Europe. He knew that some men would not return alive, but that didn't mean they couldn't do their best to try and prevent any deaths.

When the king of Berlin arrived, he introduced Paul to a man named Anton, who was captain of the guards in his kingdom. The captain was pleased with Paul's plan, but had a suggestion to make that he thought would really help the mission. He led Paul aboard one of their ships, and brought him to his quarters.

"Have you ever heard of a needle gun before?" he asked.

"I've heard of them, but I've never seen or used one before," Paul admitted.

Anton pulled a long gun out from under his bed and handed it to Paul. "It was invented by a gunsmith named Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse a few years back. The gun has a rate of fire of 10-12 rounds per minute, and has a firing range of 650 yds. However, there are some setbacks to it. The range is very short compared to muzzle-loading rifles, and there is a lack of obturation seal. Because of this, gas escapes through the breech, and often burns the skin of the person firing the gun. Most of men prefer to shoot the rifle from their hip to avoid being burned. However, this greatly decreases the aim accuracy in the process. Nevertheless, its firepower is excellent, and it really does a lot of damage. I thought we could use them during the invasion," Anton explained.

"Of course," Paul acquiesced. "Do mind if I carry one?"

"Be my guest. You do know to shoot a gun, right?"

"I've been shooting guns since I was a little kid," Paul said, chuckling.

He took the gun out onto the deck and pointed it towards the water. He fired a single shot, and watched as the bullet hit the water like a bolt of lightning.

"Wow! That's impressive. I see what you mean though about your skin being burned," he said examining his hand, which now had a small burn mark on it.

"Thank you for showing me this. These will work great!"

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Urvea, Aaron himself was planning for an invasion of his own. He knew that he and Elsa could easily take over the U.S. but it didn't hurt to have a little backup as well. He had been spending the last few days building his army, and planning his attack. Elsa had been with him this whole time, so she was directly exposed to the audacity of Aaron's evil plans. To think that her magic was going to be used to kill thousands of innocent people, was beyond heartbreaking, but she always reminded herself that she was doing it for Anna and the people of Arendelle. One evening, after the two had met with a large group of soldiers, the two ate dinner together. Aaron was in a very cheerful mood.

"In three days, we will set out for the United States," he said. "There you and I will combine our magic, and take over the country. Yes, a lot will be destroyed in the process, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in order to create a new empire."

Elsa merely nodded, not wanting to discuss these horrid plans with Aaron. It was bad enough that she was forced to be a part of it.

"And come spring, you and I shall be married, my darling," he said. "Together we will rule as king and queen of this new empire!"

Elsa did her best to contain her disgust. She didn't need Aaron to remind her of what was going to happen.

Aaron looked at the grandfather clock at the far side of the room. It was 11:00 P.M.

"Well, my dear, I shall be retiring for the evening now," he said, standing up. "You should get some rest as well. Everybody needs their beauty sleep."

He leaned forward and kissed Elsa on the lips, savoring the taste as he moaned with pleasure. Oh how he couldn't wait to partake in more intimate activities with the Snow Queen.

Before leaving, Elsa asked Aaron if it was possible for her to see her sister and Kristoff before they leave for the invasion.

Aaron shook his head. "No, my dear. I can't let anything distract you from the mission. You'll see them again…eventually."

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**Well, the big finale is upon us. Next chapter will be a long one, and it will be quite fun to write. There will be some powerful moments as well as a few surprises. Hope you all will enjoy!**

**As always, thank you for the reviews, and if you enjoy this story, please leave a review telling me what you think. They're always appreciated.**


	20. Brothers in Blood

Chapter 20:

Brothers in Blood

**This is it, the chapter you have all been waiting for, the battle for Urvea and Elsa. Just to be clear, this won't be the last chapter of the story. There will be a few more chapters as well an epilogue. This is just the climax of the story. Anyway, lots of stuff happening in this chapter. Enjoy!**

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_The night before the invasion, Paul dreamed of what life would be like if they succeeded in their mission. In his dream, he was walking in the gardens of Arendelle. Elsa was there beside him, holding his hand. On her hand he noticed a silver ring, with a diamond in the shape of an icicle. He looked at his own hand, and noticed a similar ring on his own finger, except his had music notes engraved on it. Paul looked at Elsa, and she smiled back at him. Her blue eyes looked like two sapphires shining in the sunlight. "I love you," she said. Paul smiled, and kissed her on the lips. Just as he remembered, they were cold, yet still so tender. "I love you too, Elsa," he said. "More than you can ever imagine." The two sat down on a bench together, and watched the birds drink from the fountain in the middle of the garden. They sat their quietly,, both enjoying the warm spring day. Elsa wrapped her arms around Paul's neck, and leaned into his shoulder._

_"I have some news," she whispered into his ear._

_"What's that?" Paul asked._

_Elsa gently took his hand and placed it on her stomach, and smiled. At first Paul was unsure of what she was referring too, but after seeing her smile, he realized what she was implying. He began to cry tears of happiness as he gazed into her eyes. "I'm going to be a father," he said._

Paul awoke to the sound of knocking on his door. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's Captain Anton, Your Highness. We're ready to depart for Urvea."

"I'll be right there!" Paul replied. He quickly changed his clothes, and pulled out the pistol from under his bed. He made sure that he had plenty ammunition on him in case he needed it. Deep down Paul didn't want to kill anybody, but he knew that he had no choice. When he boarded one of Labraza's ships, Anton handed him a needlegun, which he strapped to his back. The ships of Labraza were widely known for their speed, so it didn't take long until they reached the shores of Urvea. Just as indicated in the plan, the ships hid behind the large rock, and Paul and several others got into rowboats filled with barrels of gunpowder, and sailed off to Urvea. Fortunately, there weren't any stars out on this particular night, which gave Paul and his team an advantage with the darkness to use as cover. Once they reached the harbor, Paul pointed out Aaron's prized ship: The Inferno, and two men quietly snuck aboard. Meanwhile, Paul and three other men rode over to the bridge, and unloaded the boats. They had three barrels, 20 kg of gunpowder in each, which was sure to blow the bridge. They made their way quietly through town, making sure not to alert anybody of their presence. Now under the bridge, each man placed a barrel in a particular spot. One on both ends, and one in the middle.

"All you have to do is shoot one of the barrels," a soldier explained to Paul. "And the rest will explode on their own."

"Ok. Now head back to the docks and give them the signal to destroy the ship. Then, find a place to hide until Urvea's army gets here," Paul ordered.

"What about you, Your Highness?" another solider asked.

Paul pulled out his pistol and cocked it. "I'm going after my brother," he said.

Paul hid below the bridge, while the men went back to the docks.

One of the soldiers stood up and lit a match, signaling the others to ignite the gunpowder. The men aboard the ship saw it, and with a steady hand and making sure they were a safe distance away, and ready to jump into the rowboats, they aimed their guns at the barrels of gunpowder. Instantly the ship erupted in a large and loud explosion, completely destroying half of the ship, and leaving the other half severely damaged. The men quickly rowed back to the harbor, and hid under the docks waiting for Urvea's men. The time for battle was now.

The explosion quickly awoke Aaron. When the new king of Urvea looked out his window and saw his ship ablaze, he was irate.

"Guards! Someone has destroyed my ship! Go down to the harbor now and find the culprit responsible! Bring all your men! There might be more than one person."

Aaron changed his clothes, grabbed the pistol he kept under his bed, and ran out of the room.

The soldiers took up their arms, and raced out of the castle across the bridge. When they reached the harbor, they saw many large ships coming into port. One fired a cannon towards the center of the army, killing a dozen men instantly. "It's an invasion!" yelled one of Urvea's soldiers.

"Prepare for battle!"

The men of Urvea started to fire their guns at the ships, knowing deep down that it would do little good. Meanwhile, the men who helped destroy Aaron's boat, and assisted Paul with the gunpowder leapt out from under the docks and fired their needle guns at close range. Urvea's army didn't not see them coming, nor did they expect the king of weapons they had. One of Urvea's soldiers was struck in the head, and died instantly. Others soon met the same fate as well.

One soldier who was hit in the leg screamed in pain, begging for someone to put him out of his misery. The men of Urvea fought back fiercely firing their guns at every man they saw. Paul's army only had a handful of men on the field at the time, they were greatly outnumbered. But they fought with the strength of a thousand men. As the ships drew closer, more cannonballs were fired, all of them hitting their target. By this time, the people of Urvea had emerged from their homes anxious to see what was happening. An actual battle happening right in front of them.

"Stay inside, protect your loved ones!" a Urvea soldier shouted. The people did as they were told, but it didn't quench the fear they held. They knew that it was very likely they would die tonight. Finally, the ships reached the harbor, and the combined forces of Labraza and Berlin charged forward, and began firing their guns at the Urvea soldiers. The Urvean army was stunned at the size of Paul's army. They hadn't expected so many men to be there. Even if they had the advantage in the beginning, it certainly wasn't theirs anymore. There was no way they could take on two forces at once, it was suicide! The only option left was to retreat. But just before the captain of the army could make his order, another loud explosion was heard, this one back at the castle. The soldiers turned around, and saw the bridge leading into the palace crumble to pieces before their eyes. It was their only way back into the palace, and now it was gone!

Now they had no choice but to continue and fight for their country and their king. As the battle raged on, Paul slipped inside the large doors, and went upstairs. It seemed awfully desolate to him as he roamed the hallways. He expected to see at least a few servants running about during all this commotion, but there was no one.

He kept his gun out, ready to shoot if need be. Paul knew that Aaron would most likely keep Elsa on the fifth floor, the highest floor in the castle. He made his way up the stairs, searching every room for Elsa. Finally, he came to a large set of doors, which led to the ballroom. He pushed the doors open, and there, standing in the center of the ballroom, looking terrified, was Elsa.

"Elsa, thank God you're alright!" Paul cried, running towards her. He was so overjoyed to see her that he dropped his pistol in the process of running. When he reached her, Elsa held out her hands in defense. "Paul, what's going on? What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? It's an invasion, we're rescuing you!" he said.

Elsa started to cry, she didn't like what was happening.

"Paul, what were you thinking? Get out of here now! If Aaron sees you, he'll destroy Arendelle!" she cried.

"No he won't, Elsa. I'm putting a stop to this once and for all."

"Paul, you have no idea what he's capable of. He's going to invade a whole country tomorrow."

"What are you talking about?" Paul asked.

"Aaron wants me to help him invade the United States, and claim it as his new empire. He wants to kill off all the people he thinks are weak, and enslave the ones who aren't."

Paul was stunned. He knew his brother was twisted, but this was a new low. Aaron's lust for power had grown so strong, that he was willing to kill innocents just to keep it growing. He walked a few feet towards the ballroom entrance, signaling Elsa to follow him.

"Elsa, I'm not going to let that happen. Now come on, let's go while we still—

Paul statement was cut off when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, he looked down and saw a fresh wound, gushing with blood.

"No!" Elsa cried. She turned around saw Aaron standing behind her holding a pistol in his hands.

"Still think I have poor aim, little bro?" he said, smiling.

Paul gritted his teeth together, trying hard to ignore the pain. "Aaron, listen to me, you have to stop this madness. Don't make it any worse than it already is!"

"Aaron walked closer, giving a light chuckle. "Always the negotiator," he said. "You would love for me to stop, wouldn't you? But you see, I'm on the path to creating a new, more powerful empire. One that has never existed before. With Elsa by my side, we will enslave the United States, and rule supreme together!"

"Aaron, mom and dad wouldn't want you to do this!" Paul pleaded. "You'll kill millions of innocent people!"

"They're dead, Paul. But don't worry, you'll be joining them here shortly. And once I'm finished with you, I am going to send my army straight to Arendelle and burn every last man, woman, and child to a crisp! Starting with Princess Anna!"

"No!" Elsa screamed, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Oh yes, Elsa. You remember the deal I made your brother. If he steps one foot in Urvea, I will destroy Arendelle. Since he did exactly that, I must fulfill my promise.

"Just let them go! I beg of you, Aaron! If you truly love me, you'll let Paul, Anna, and Kristoff go!" Elsa pleaded.

Aaron chuckled, looking down at the Snow Queen begging on her knees.

"Foolish woman. Do you really think I'm going to listen to you?" Aaron pistol whipped Elsa in the head, sending her face down to the floor. "Now shut up, and let me take care of this!" he snarled.

Paul stood still watching his brother aim the gun directly at his chest. Tears started to fall from his eyes.

"Goodbye Paul," Aaron whispered. As he wrapped his finger around the trigger, a large chunk of ice emerged from the floor, sending Aaron straight into the air. The king's gun fell from his hands, and scattered across the ballroom floor. When he hit the ground, Aaron looked up and saw Elsa standing over him, a look of fierce determination in her eyes.

"You will not hurt any more people, Aaron Clayworth. It ends now!"

She waved her hands in front of Aaron, covering his torso, arms, and legs in a large sheet of ice. She bent her fingers, hardening it as much as she could. Elsa didn't want to kill him, she wanted him to suffer for his crimes.

"I've put up with your shit for far too long. You are a monster, and deserve to be punished!" she snarled.

Aaron chuckled, completely unconcerned about the ice encasing his body. "For all your intelligence, Elsa, you've proven yourself to be quite ignorant."

Instantly a large orange glow emerged from Aaron's chest, melting the ice. Elsa fought hard to keep the ice fresh and alive, but it was no use, fire was stronger.

Meanwhile, Paul had collapsed at the far side of the room. He had become dizzy from the blood loss, and could barely move. He watched as a fight emerged between Elsa and Aaron. He wanted desperately to get up and help Elsa, but he just didn't have the strength. Paul held his hand over his wound to help stop the bleeding, but it did little good. He had already lost a lot. Paul struggled to retain consciousness as the image before him began to grow blurry. This was it. This was the end.

When Aaron emerged from his ice prison, Elsa leapt several feet backward and took a stance. "I'm not going to let you get away with this!" she said.

"Well, I take it that means you won't help me in my plans, and become the new ruler of my empire!"

"I'd rather die than help you!" Elsa hissed.

"So be it. I don't need your help anyway."

Aaron threw a blast of fire towards Elsa, who quickly summoned a large wall of ice to shield her from his attack. Even though it quickly melted, the wall did prevent the blaze from hitting her. She ran to the other side of the ballroom, all the while avoiding Aaron's blasts of fire. She rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding a blast. When she got back on her feet, Elsa stomped a foot on the ground, turning the entire ballroom into ice. The icy floor caused Aaron to slip as he ran toward her, sending him flat on his face.

With her mastery of the frozen liquid, Elsa easily maneuvered across the floor to Aaron, hurling a large icicle towards him. Aaron looked up and extinguished it with another blast of fire. He was quickly back on his feet, and began firing rapidly at Elsa. The fireballs came faster and faster, leaving no time for Elsa to deflect them. One hit her in the arm, burning right through her skin. Elsa grinded her teeth, trying to ignore the pain. She wasn't going to let this bastard win.

She threw up her hands again, but the pain in her right arm was too great. Aaron quickly took notice of this, and began hurling more fireballs in her direction. Elsa did her best to block them off with her other arm, but it was no use, they were coming too quickly. One blast hit Elsa directly in the chest, its power sending her sliding across the ballroom floor, melting the ice in the process.

Elsa tried to get up, but she couldn't. The burning sensation in her chest was unbearable. She did her best to look up, and saw that the fire blast had burned right through her dress, and into several layers of flesh. The pain was agonizing; Elsa truly didn't know the meaning of the word until now. Long after she been hit, the burning feeling remained, roasting Elsa like meat over a fire. Tears filled Elsa's eyes as she tried to block out the pain and focus on Aaron, who was walking towards her.

Paul was starting to lose consciousness. He watched as Aaron stood over Elsa's burned body, and laugh wickedly. He had to help…had to find the strength.

Aaron slammed a boot down on Elsa's chest, causing her to scream loudly in pain. His cleats dug deep into her burned flesh, sending waves upon waves of agony through Elsa's body.

"Not as tough as you thought you were," Aaron mocked. "They say burning to death is one of the worst ways to die. Tell me, is it?" He pressed down harder on Elsa's chest, causing the cleats to dig deeper.

"You could have had it all, Elsa. But instead you chose righteousness, and looks where it's led you? I would make your death quick and simple, but I think you deserve to suffer. He held up a hand and a large ball of fire emerged. "Have you ever seen a person's head on fire before?"

Elsa found the strength and spoke, "Fuck you!" she hissed.

"I didn't think so. Well, it looks like you'll get to experience it firsthand."

Paul's vision started to come back, and he saw his brother raise his arm high in the air, ready to send the ball of fire straight to Elsa's head. Over to his right, he saw Aaron's gun that he dropped when Elsa blasted him into the air. Without giving it a seconds thought, he summoned all the strength he had left in him, grabbed the pistol, aimed it at Aaron's head, and fired a single shot.

The bullet made perfect contact. Aaron's eyes were wide open, blood trickling down his chin. The ball of fire extinguished itself, and he fell to the ground with a soft thump. Blood poured out of his head, covering the ballroom floor in a heap of red fluid. The king's reign had ended.

The gun fell from Paul's hands onto the floor, followed by him shortly after. Paul finally let go of the wound on his stomach. Too much blood had been lost, there was no point in trying to stop the bleeding. He looked over to his side and saw Elsa looking back at him, her eyes glistening with tears. It was the last thing Paul saw before he closed his eyes, and faded into darkness.

* * *

**I know, it's quite the cliffhanger, but rest assured, the story is not over yet.**

**Please Review!**


	21. The Aftermath

Chapter 21:

The Aftermath

**The story is nearing the end, but not just yet. There's still more to come. In addition, I'm also considering writing a sequel. There's a poll on my profile page. You can vote on whether or not I should write a sequel. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

When Paul opened his eyes, he saw that he was in the Urvea hospital wing. It took him a little while to figure out why he was here, but when he did, he instantly jumped out of bed. A sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to stumble over. Paul looked down at his chest and saw a large bandage wrapped around him. "Am I alive?" he asked. He stood up and sat back on the bed. A door suddenly opened and Paul saw Anna, Kristoff, and what looked like the doctor come in. "He's awake!" Anna cried. She ran over to his bed side, and wrapped her arms around him. Paul returned the hug, still not entirely sure what was happening. "Why…why am I here?" he asked.

Anna pulled back, and frowned. "You were shot. By the time we found you, you had already lost a lot of blood. We honestly didn't think you were going to make it. The doctor said you needed a blood transfusion as soon as possible or you would die. Kristoff volunteered to donate his blood."

The mountain man rolled up his sleeve to show where blood had been drawn. "They took about four ounces," he said. "Fortunately, it was enough to keep you alive."

Paul looked down at his stomach, now remembering what had happened. "Aaron…I killed my brother," he whispered.

Anna and Kristoff nodded. "Yes. Aaron is dead," Kristoff said. Once the battle outside had ended, the army found their way inside, and rescued us down in the dungeons. We looked everywhere for you, and eventually found you and Elsa in the ballroom.

"Elsa!" Paul cried, remembering the Snow Queen being critically injured in the battle with Aaron.

"How is she? Where is she? Take me to her?"

The doctor stepped in, and placed a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Relax, Your Highness, she is just resting. Elsa had quite the ordeal as well. She received several large third-degree burns to her chest and arm. The injuries were extensive, and the damage was very bad, but we managed to do all that we to help the wounds heal. Her skin will grow back, but it will take some time. It will also more than likely leave many scars."

Paul was relieved that Elsa was alright, but that still didn't stop him from worrying about her.

"Take me to her," he ordered.

"I'm afraid we can't do that right now," the doctor said. "She's resting, and you should do the same."

Paul wanted to argue, but he knew that the doctor was right. He would find out more in a while, but right now, he needed to rest.

* * *

A few days later, when Paul was strong enough to get out of bed, he managed to convince the doctor to let him see Elsa. When he entered the Snow Queen's room, he saw her lying in the bed, head propped up against the bedpost, and her body covered in many bandages. From the looks of it, she appeared to be sleeping. He crept closer to her, trying not to wake her. He didn't need to speak to her right this moment, he just wanted to see her. When he got to her bedside, he saw close up how badly her body was burned. Though the bandages concealed a lot, he could still see traces of burned flesh through them. I'm so sorry this happened to you he thought.

The Snow Queen suddenly opened her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was soft and very tired.

"Hi Paul," she whispered.

"Elsa! You're awake! Oh I'm so sorry, Elsa! I didn't mean for this to happen-

"It's Ok," she said cutting him off. "You couldn't help it."

She straightend her back against the bedpost, and met Paul face to face. "How's your stomach?" she said, gesturing to his chest.

"I've been better, but it's not too bad," he admitted.

"That's good. As for me, at least when the bandages finally come off I can hide my ugly scars underneath my clothes. That way people will still think I'm beautiful, even if I'm really not."

"Elsa, don't talk like that," Paul said. "You are beautiful inside and out. The scars don't take any of that away. Your beauty will always remain."

Elsa smiled, an icy tear fell from her eye. "Thank you, Paul. Well, I know we just started talking, but I'd really like to get some rest if you don't mind."

"Not at all. You go right on head," Paul said, getting off her bed.

He gave Elsa a soft kiss on the lips before turning to leave. As he shut the door, he watched as Elsa closed her eyes, and snuggled under the covers. "Thank you, God," he whispered before closing the door behind him.

* * *

Not long after he was well enough to move about, Paul learned that with Aaron's death, he was now the King of Urvea. It was a mixed blessing. Paul was glad that Aaron's reign of tyranny was over, but he was still consumed by the guilt of killing him. "I murdered my own brother," he thought. "I'm a monster."

Though many people tried to tell him otherwise, Paul wouldn't listen. Nothing they said could change the fact that he murdered his own flesh and blood.

Despite many people protesting against it, Paul insisted that the kingdom hold a funeral for Aaron. Not surprisingly, very few attended. Elsa stood by Paul's side as the grave diggers finished burying Aaron next to their parents. When they left, Paul placed a red rose on Aaron's grave, and said a prayer.

"Even after all that he did, you still care about him?" Elsa asked.

"He's my brother," Paul replied. "And nothing will ever change that."

* * *

For the next few days, Paul and Elsa rarely saw one another. Elsa spent most of her free time recuperating, still needing to recover from her injuries. Meanwhile, Paul attended to his kingly duties.

Many buildings were destroyed in the battle, along with lots of plants and livestock. All around villagers were starving in the streets, begging for food. Paul told several guards to give out as much food as possible. There was no way he was going to let his people starve. He also began the reconstruction process, hoping to rebuild as many homes as possible. It was tiring work, but Paul insisted on doing it. He was going to prove to his people that unlike his brother, he truly cared about them.

One afternoon, after he had attended a meeting regarding the rebuilding of the village orphanage, Paul received word that Elsa was leaving for Arendelle tomorrow. He decided to take the rest of the day off, and spend it with her. The two walked through the village together, talking about the reconstruction, and the many plans that Paul had for Urvea. Elsa was impressed with Paul's leadership. The man knew what he was doing, and knew exactly how to get what he wanted. And his selflessness was admirable. Urvea was in good hands.

"You're going to be a great king," Elsa said.

"Well, I won't be king for much longer. I'm only staying in power until the reconstruction process is finished, and then I'm moving to Arendelle to live with you.

Elsa was stunned. She stopped walking and looked at Paul, she did not seem pleased.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"We're going to get married, and reign together just like we planned. I know you're still recovering from the traumatic events that have taken place, but that's alright. I'm here for you, and we'll get through this together."

Elsa sighed, unsure of how to respond. "Paul, after all that's happened, I don't think we can be together."

"What…What do you mean?" Paul asked, confused.

"Because of my interest in you, so many terrible things happened. Your parents were murdered, Anna's life was endangered, and the whole kingdom of Urvea was destroyed. I can't live with you, after I've caused you so much pain."

"Elsa, you didn't do anything wrong, it was all Aaron's doing. Yes, it's very unfortunate that all of these things happened, but that's all behind us now. We're here, alive and well, and everything is going to be alright."

Elsa started to cry, this hurt her more than he could ever imagine.

"Paul, don't make this harder than it has to be," she sniffled. "I still care about you, but I can't be with you anymore. Not after all that's happened. Please try to understand, I'm only doing this for your own good. I want you to be happy, and not be reminded of the person that caused you so much pain."

"Elsa, you make me happy. Everything about you brings more joy to my life than anything else on this earth. I want to be with you! I want to spend the rest of my life with you, have kids, and rule by your side. Elsa, you are the ultimate treasure in my life. I would literally die without you. I love you so much it hurts, and I know you love me too!

"Don't let the past affect your future. Take one step at a time, and do your very best in everything that you do. You've got more will power than anyone I know.

You and I are meant to be together, Elsa. Stop shutting out the truth, and accept it for once! You know it's the right thing to do! Please, Elsa! Please don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Paul," Elsa whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks. "But it has to be this way."

She turned around and started to walk back to the palace. Paul ran after her, and grabbed her hand.

"Please Elsa, don't do this!" he pleaded, his eyes now filled with tears.

"Let go of me, Paul!" she cried, yanking her hand out from his. "Just leave me alone."

She started to run back the palace, not turning around once to look back at Paul. The new king of Urvea screamed for Elsa to come back, to reconsider what she was doing, but it was all to no avail. The Snow Queen kept running, getting farther and farther from him.

Paul collapsed to his knees, tears pouring from his eyes. There was way no way this was happening, he refused to accept it. And yet,deep down he knew it was all too true.

The next day, Paul didn't go to see Elsa off. He instructed the guards to help her, Anna and Kristoff with whatever they needed, while he remained in his room watching them leave from the window. As the ship left the harbor, and disappeared behind the large rock, Paul felt the world crash down upon him. Life had no meaning anymore.

* * *

**Oh, now that's a nasty cliffhanger! What will happen next you're wondering? Well, the story isn't over yet, that's all I can say.**

**PS: The first blood transfusion was done in 1818 in case you didn't know. I realize that they haven't discovered the different blood types yet, so there is no way of knowing if Kristoff's blood is the right type, but for the sake of this story, I had Kristoff's blood be the same type as Paul's, and therefore the transfusion was successful.**

**Please Review!**


	22. Say You Will

Chapter 22:

Say You Will

Enjoy!

* * *

Five months passed, and things slowly started to return to normal. Elsa resumed her role as Queen of Arendelle, and opened up new trading agreements with Labraza and Berlin. She kept in contact with Paul, but on business matters only.

The two exchanged letters, but neither mentioned their past relationship. Paul was tempted to invite her and Anna to the annual festival that Urvea was holding next week. However, he knew that she would see right through his plan, and know that he was trying to hook back up with her. Unlike Elsa, Paul had not gotten over the break-up. In fact, he was more consumed than ever over it. Late at night, after the servants had gone to bed, he sat out on the balcony with his guitar writing song after song about her. With every chord he strummed, the pain only intensified. He knew deep down that he had to move on, and respect Elsa's wishes, but a big part of him just couldn't let her go.

Although Elsa had moved on with her life after the traumatic ordeal with Aaron, she still thought about Paul from time to time. Since they never discussed personal matters in their letters, she often wondered what was going on with his private life. Was he seeing anybody? Did he still play guitar? What kind of books was he reading? It would be nice to talk about these things, but Elsa knew that that was a bad idea. It would just be opening up old doors, doors that she vowed to leave shut forever. She had hurt Paul enough the last time she got close to him, and she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

One evening, Anna and Elsa had a private dinner together in the dining hall. Anna was telling Elsa about the day she spent with Kristoff, harvesting ice. "I never knew it was so tough," she said. "It's a lot harder than it looks."

"I imagine," Elsa said.

"I managed to cut my own block of ice and loaded it onto Kristoff's sleigh. Boy, was it heavy!"

"It was so much fun, I can't wait to do it again sometime!"

"That's nice," Elsa said.

"So what about you, how was your day?" Anna asked.

"Same old, same old. I had a meeting with the council again, and they brought up the idea of marriage once more."

"What did you tell them?" Anna asked, curious to hear her sister's response.

"I told them that after all that I went through with Aaron and Paul, I'm going to be taking a long hiatus from any romantic relationships."

"Speaking of Paul, how is he?"

"He's well I suppose, I haven't spoken to him in a while. The last letter I sent to him was a few weeks ago. We were talking about importing Hawken rifles for Arendelle's army."

Anna sighed, that wasn't the answer she was hoping for. Her sister was quick to notice.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, Elsa. Just forget about it."

"Anna, if something is bothering you, tell me. We don't hide secrets from each other anymore, remember?"

"You should take your own advice sometime," Anna snapped.

Elsa raised an eyebrow, something was definitely wrong. "Anna, what's going on?"

"I'm talking about how you hide your feelings for Paul, and act like he doesn't mean anything to you."

"Paul, is the king of Urvea, and one of our trading partners—

"Is that all he is to you, Elsa?" Just a trading partner? After all he did! Saving me, defeating Aaron, rescuing you, and reclaiming the kingdom of Urvea! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Elsa remained calm. She really didn't want to discuss this with Anna right now, but her sister was already on a roll. It was best to let her run her course.

"Anna, I appreciate everything that Paul has done. He saved your life, and he saved mine. He's a good man, but I can't be with him, knowing that I was the one that brought all of this on?"

"You didn't bring anything on, Elsa!" Anna cried, in disbelief. "It was Aaron, and Aaron alone. He was a sick man, hell bent on getting what he wanted. He was going to through with his plans with or without you."

"Yes, but I invited him into our home, I spent time with him, I led him to believe that I was interested in him, and I made him commit such unspeakable acts when I fell in love with Paul. Aaron may have done all those terrible things, but I played an equal part as well."

"Elsa," Anna began, her voice now calm. "I want you to answer this question, honestly. Don't hold anything back, just speak exactly how you feel."

Elsa nodded, not even looking at her sister.

"Do you love Paul Clayworth?"

Elsa thought carefully about how to respond. Inside, her heart was beating fast, and adrenaline rushed through her veins. She knew what the real answer was, but she couldn't say it…as much as she desperately wanted too.

"No," she said, icy tears trickling down her cheeks.

Anna stood up abruptly, and glared at Elsa.

"You're pathetic," she said. Anna left the table and exited the dining hall, leaving Elsa alone with her thoughts.

"I know I am," she whispered as soon as Anna shut the door behind her.

* * *

That night, Elsa couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about what Anna had said to her. She called her pathetic, Anna had never spoken to her like that before. It hurt, it hurt very much. But as much as her sister's words cut deep into her heart, Elsa couldn't deny the truth behind them. Yes, she loved Paul, very much so. Everything about him made Elsa happy. His mannerisms, his intelligence, his skills, his gentle demeanor, they were all admirable qualities.

Whenever she was with Paul, she remembered feeling not just happy, but safe as well. She felt that nothing in the world could ever hurt her as long as he was there. Of course, that turned out to be untrue. Yet, Paul still managed to pull through, and restore balance. He was willing to kill his own brother, someone he's known all his life, to save some woman he hadn't known for very long. Is that what true love really is? She thought back to when Anna sacrificed herself to save her from Hans' attack. That act of true love was enough to save not just her life, but Anna's as well. Did the same thing happen with Paul? He was dying of blood loss, yet he managed to still save her life. Was that what really saved him, and not the blood transfusion from Kristoff?

Elsa had learned a lot about love in the past year and a half. It could accomplish things she never thought were possible such as controlling her powers, or saving someone's life. It was magic. Love was the strongest magic of all. No matter what happened in the world, no matter how bad things have gotten, it was still strong enough to make things right.

Elsa knew that she was making a terrible mistake in denying her feelings for Paul. She was doing what she had done all those years to Anna, shutting him out because she was afraid of hurting him. It was the wrong thing to do, and she knew it. Long ago her parents told her "conceal, don't feel" what poor advice that was.

Feeling is the key to understanding love, and with love, anything is possible. Even though terrible things may have happened in the past few months to Paul, his love for Elsa was strong enough to move past that, and look to the future. Love enabled one to forgive, and accept things for what they are, instead of holding onto guilty feelings. If Paul could do that, then Elsa could surely do the same. It was time to stop living in the past, and make way for a brighter future.

* * *

The next day, Elsa wrote to Paul, requesting his presence in Arendelle. She told him that she wanted him to instruct Arendelle's army on the proper use of the Hawken rifles. Paul agreed, and quickly made his way to Arendelle. When he arrived at the harbor, he was surprised to see Elsa waiting for him on the docks. She looked very formal, and had a calm, but serious look on her face. Paul walked up to her and bowed.

"It's nice to see you, Queen Elsa," he said.

Elsa curtsied in return. "It's good to see you too, King Paul. If you'll follow me I'll lead you to the captain of the guards. There he'll show you the rest of Arendelle's army."

Paul followed Elsa into the castle, and up the stairs. During this time, he didn't think about the feelings he still had for the Snow Queen. He kept them suppressed, knowing full well that Elsa didn't feel the same way anymore. Besides, he was here on business matters anyway.

Elsa pushed open the door to her study, and gently ushered Paul inside. When the king of Urvea entered, he looked around, confused as to why she had led him here instead of the shooting range.

"Queen Elsa, may I ask why we're here?"

Elsa shut the door behind her, giving the two of them some privacy. She walked over to Paul, holding her hands together, and looking him straight in the eyes.

"Paul, I didn't really want you to come here to train the soldiers with the rifles," she explained. That was just a rouse to get you to come. The real reason, is for me to do something I should have done months ago."

She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer, and deepening the kiss. At that moment, Paul unleashed the wave of passion he had been suppressing for five months. He wrapped his arms around Elsa, pulling her body close to his own. The two continued to kiss, their lips meeting each other's softly. The cold, but tender feeling of Elsa's lips brought back sweet memories to Paul. It felt so good to be actually tasting her kiss again, after all that had happened. The two continued to kiss for another minute, before slowly pulling apart

Paul smiled. "I knew you'd come back."

Elsa smiled in return, her cheeks blushing profusely. "And I'm never leaving."

* * *

**And we come to the conclusion of our tale. Rest assured however, there is still the epilogue to come as well as a sequel. The epilogue will also explain some things that haven't been addressed yet. **


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

_One year later._

Paul stood in front of the mirror in his room, looking over his tuxedo. He had never felt so nervous in all his life. Today was the day; the day he and Elsa were getting married. To say it was unbelievable would be an understatement.

A lot had changed in the past year. Paul had turned the throne of Urvea over to his cousin David. The council was at very unsure of the idea of someone other than the offspring of King Alan and Queen Lilly ruling the kingdom, but Paul and Elsa assured them that there was a first for everything, and that David would make a great king. The reconstruction process went smoothly. Paul and Elsa worked side by side with each other to rebuild all that had been destroyed during the battle with Aaron. In addition, the kingdoms of Berlin and Labraza also made substantial contributions with their donation of money, food, clothes, and building supplies.

At long last, Paul had finally built the railroad he and his father talked about. The Cologne-Minden Railway Company was established, and it built the Cologne-Minden trunk line, starting a network from Urvea, all the way through Cologne and Minden. Just as he hoped, the railway was a success, and there were already talks of establishing other railway lines throughout Germany. The kingdom of Urvea was thriving better than ever. Once Paul was sure that things would be in good hands without him, he left Urvea and moved to Arendelle to live with Elsa. The two quickly set their wedding for next spring, and began planning at once. Now the day had arrived, and the two would officially begin their reign together as king and queen of Arendelle.

A knock came on Paul's door. He turned around and opened it. There Kristoff stood, all decked out in his own tuxedo. Paul had asked the ice harvester to be his best man at the wedding. At first Kristoff politely declined, but Paul firmly stated that he wouldn't have anyone else but him.

"Almost ready?" Kristoff asked.

"Getting there," Paul said, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"Are you excited? Pretty soon you'll be the new king of Arendelle!"

"I'm excited, but I'm also nervous at the same time," Paul confessed.

"What for?"

"It's just…so surreal, you know? I feel like this is a dream."

Kristoff smiled, and patted his friend on the back. "I can assure you, Paul, this is definitely real, and it's better than any dream you could ever have. You and Elsa are made for each other, and I know that you two are going to be great rulers."

Paul smiled and hugged his friend back, happy tears falling from his eyes in the process.

"Thank you, Kristoff. That means a lot to me," he said.

"You're welcome, buddy. Now come on, let's get into positon. The ceremony will start soon.

Paul and Kristoff took their places at the altar. King John stood in between them, wearing his ceremonial robes and holding a large book. Paul invited him to lead the ceremony, and the priest gratefully accepted. It was good to see him again.

The organ started to play the bridal march, and everyone in the chapel stood up and looked toward the doors, waiting for Elsa to emerge. The doors opened and the flower girl walked down the aisle, throwing petals here and there. Finally, the Snow Queen emerged, wearing a tailor-made wedding gown with a silver snowflake pattern. Anna stood beside her, having agreed to walk her down the aisle. The two slowly began walking towards the altar, all the while being met by the many smiles of the people of Arendelle and Urvea. Paul himself couldn't help but smile brightly as he gazed upon his bride.

God, she's so beautiful, he thought.

When Elsa finally made it to the altar, she stood beside Paul, and flashed a smile of her own under her veil. The two looked at each other, both glowing with happiness.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God—and in the face of this company—to join together our fair Queen Elsa and Prince Paul in holy matrimony. Into this holy estate these two present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined—let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Silence followed, not a single word was muttered.

King John then continued with the ceremony. He said a few blessings and prayers, and then began the wedding vows.

"Do you, Prince Paul, take Queen Elsa to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

Intense waves of passion overcame Paul as he uttered those simple, yet so powerful two words. "I do," he said.

"And do you, Queen Elsa, take Prince Paul to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

Elsa took a deep breath, and then stated proudly, "I do."

Kristoff reached into his pocket and pulled out two golden rings. He handed one to Elsa, and one to Paul. Paul took Elsa's hand in his own, and spoke loud and clear.

"With this ring, I give you my promise that from this day forward you shall not walk alone. I have no greater gift to give. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. May we walk together through all things. May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are. May you always see the innocence in my eyes. May we feel this joy forever" he said, confidence gleaming in his eyes.

He gently slipped the ring on Elsa's finger, admiring the craftsmanship as he did so. He had both rings custom made with their names engraved on them. They both turned out perfect.

Elsa picked up Paul's hand, and held it in her own. She repeated the words Paul said with confidence as well. ""With this ring, I give you my promise that from this day forward you shall not walk alone. I have no greater gift to give. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. May we walk together through all things that come our way. May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are. May you always see the innocence in my eyes, and may we feel this joy forever." She slipped the ring on Paul's finger, and lowered his hand to the side. Everyone in the chapel turned to Father John, eagerly awaiting his pronouncement.

"And now, by the power vested in me by God, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Paul slowly lifted the veil from Elsa's face and gazed upon her. Elsa—his wife—was beaming at him with the sincerest look of love. Closing their eyes, the two embraced each other in a tender kiss. All of the love they had for each other, despite enduring so much pain and heartache, came together in that one loving kiss. As the crowd cheered for the newlyweds, Paul and Elsa broke apart and looked into each other's eyes.

For a moment, the rest of the world faded away, and it was just the two of them standing together at the altar. As Elsa looked at the man she dearly loved, she thought back to all that had in her life. She never once dreamed this moment would come true. For years she believed that she would have to live in solitude forever because of her powers, and never get to experience the joys of marriage. But here she stood, queen of Arendelle, and a married woman. I guess fate knows what it's doing after all she thought.

As the applause quieted down, King John turned to his side and picked up a crown, which was resting on a pillow nearby. He handed it to Kai, and the man took his place behind Paul. He then gently placed the crown on Paul's head.

"All hail, King Paul of Arendelle," he stated.

Immediately everyone in the chapel bowed down to Paul. The new king of Arendelle looked out with both pride and amazement at the sight before him. He was the king of Arendelle, and people were actually bowing down to him. He smiled, and turned to Elsa, taking her hand in his. The two gazed into each other's eyes, full of love and happiness. The road to where they now stood hadn't been easy, and they both knew that there would be more challenges in the future. But right now, they chose to focus on what was happening now. Two people, joining together as one, forever and for always in love."

**The End.**

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**Thank you all to read and reviewed this story. I'm very proud of this one, and put a lot of thought into it. I'm happy to say that there will be a sequel coming soon. PM if you would like to know what it will be about. Once again, I appreciate all your kind words, they mean a lot to me. I wish you all the best. :)**


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